Hope, Week One of Advent

“There was also a prophetess, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old, having been married to her husband for seven years until his death. She had lived as a widow since then for eighty-four years. She never left the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day. –Luke 2:36-37 (NET)

Angela Alvarez knows a few things about waiting in hope. At 95, Alvarez is finally fulfilling a lifelong dream that began in her native Cuba. Life events prevented her from following her dream of being a singer. She said in an interview, “When I was a child, I had two aunts that played the piano and taught me how to sing. Whenever there was a family gathering, I was the artist; they made dresses for me and I always liked to perform.”

Sigal Ratner-Arias in an article about Mrs. Alvarez wrote that amid life’s hardships “music was always there for her, as it helped her cope with the ups and downs of life: from love and motherhood, to a near-two-year separation from her children after the Cuban Revolution triumph, when she was supposed to travel to the U.S. with them but was not allowed to board the plane; to her relentless efforts to reunite her family and the eventual loss of her beloved husband and, years later, of her only daughter—both to cancer.”

Yet her hope of being a singer didn’t die and thanks to her grandson’s effort in recording her music, Alvarez became the eldest nominee for a Latin Grammy. It was a dream that became a reality this month as she shared a win with Silvana Estrada as the best new artist. Alvarez, after years of performing only for family and friends, says “it’s never too late.”

Waiting is never easy, often testing our limits of endurance. Yet scripture records countless stories of those who waited and waited. Times of waiting became extraordinary stories of trust, patience, and discipline. Luke records the stories of Simeon and Anna, two examples of those waiting in hope for the fulfillment of God’s promise of a Messiah. Anna was best known among the temple faithful as a prophetess and daughter of Phanuel. However, she was probably better known in heaven as a person of faith and trust, a faithful prayer warrior and encourager. Her brief mention in scripture paints a powerful and beautiful story of love, hope, perseverance, and faith. Day after day, night after night, Anna could be found fasting and praying in worship. She lived out Micah 7:7, “But as for me, I watch in hope for the LORD, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.”

Sunday, November 27 marks the beginning of Advent, the first week’s focus is on hope. We can attest that hope can sometimes be fragile, yet hope allows us to keep moving forward. Scott Erickson writes “Advent is about Christ coming into the world through human vulnerability.” Lighting the prophecy candle on your advent wreath this week signifies the hope we have in the promise of the coming Messiah.

Erickson goes on to write that “We may have learned that the word advent means coming or arrival, but it’s interesting that it’s root word in Latin, adventus, also has some thought-provoking implications. It can connote the rise of a military power. It can mean incursion, ripening, and also appearance and invasion. So fascinating considering the meekness of the Savior who rode into Jerusalem on a donkey and was the sacrificed Lamb who took away the sins of the world!”

Jesus is the powerful King who delivers and brings security, the powerful king that brought hope, salvation, and redemption. The late British biblical scholar Peter Craigie says “And that is the essence of the Christmas message: God makes a gift to a besieged world through whom deliverance may come.”

Anna lived and breathed the hope that the long-awaited Messiah would come in her lifetime. However, she also trusted God’s promise of the coming Messiah even though she knew He might not come in her lifetime. Can you imagine her excitement and joy when Jesus was revealed as the One she has been waiting for all these years? “Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.”—Luke 2: 38 (NIV)

Anna’s ordinary day-to-day activities probably didn’t change all that much. She would still be found in the temple, fasting and praying. Her aging body still felt the pains and discomforts of the years. Yet she would never be the same when she stood and heard the priest read these words from the book of Isaiah: “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned. For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.” (9:2,6-7 NIV)

You can’t help but picture a big smile coming over her face as she heard these words read in the temple. A smile of hope that only came because she saw Jesus. Jesus is the reason we can smile!

“God of hope, I look to you with an open heart and yearning spirit. During this Advent season, I will keep alert and awake, listening for your word and keeping to your precepts. My hope is in you.” –Matthew Kelly

God is great!