joy

Last week, my dear friend Emily and her 9 month old daughter came to visit me from out of town. Because we live hours away from each other, I've only been able to see and hold her daughter a handful of times, so having them both visit me and spending some quality time together was very exciting and something I'd looked forward to since we first started planning their visit.

On Tuesday, as Emily and I ate lunch at a favorite restaurant in town, it seemed that every person who walked past our table couldn't help but stop to admire her daughter. I couldn't blame them - she is such a happy, cheerful, and beautiful baby! One particular mother and daughter asked if they could admire her and spoke to her with so much joy - the joy that a new baby brings to the world around them.

I'm so happy that I had this experience recently, so it's fresh on my mind today as we begin to talk about the season of Advent, and the hope and joyful expectancy that a hurting world had leading up to the first advent of Christ. Today as I was reading Luke 2:21-40, the undeniable joy that Simeon and the prophet Anna express leaped off of the page at me.

The Prophecy of Simeon (Luke 2:25-32)

At that time there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon. He was righteous and devout and was eagerly waiting for the Messiah to come and rescue Israel. The Holy Spirit was upon him and had revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. That day the Spirit led him to the Temple. So when Mary and Joseph came to present the baby Jesus to the Lord as the law required, Simeon was there. He took the child in his arms and praised God, saying,
“Sovereign Lord, now let your servant die in peace,
as you have promised.
I have seen your salvation,
which you have prepared for all people.
He is a light to reveal God to the nations,
and he is the glory of your people Israel!”

Notice how the first thing he did was pick up that sweet baby! Simeon's joy is so great that he can't keep it to himself, and he immediately begins to praise God and thank Him for letting him see the Messiah, God's promised answer to his prayers.

The Prophecy of Anna (Luke 2:36-38)

Anna, a prophet, was also there in the Temple. She was the daughter of Phanuel from the tribe of Asher, and she was very old. Her husband died when they had been married only seven years. Then she lived as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the Temple but stayed there day and night, worshiping God with fasting and prayer. She came along just as Simeon was talking with Mary and Joseph, and she began praising God. She talked about the child to everyone who had been waiting expectantly for God to rescue Jerusalem.

I love the short background we're given on Anna. A widow at a young age, she'd spent the majority of her life in the Temple, worshiping God. She knew about God's promised Messiah, so when she saw Simeon praising God, she couldn't keep it to herself, either - she just kept telling everyone around her about Jesus and how he was the answer to their prayers.

What is it about a baby that brings so much joy to our hearts? In both of these stories, I think we see a very common and human element combining with an even deeper spiritual element. Joyful hearts in response to new life and the innocence we see in babies, companied with pure, unbridled praise for God for his answered prayers for the fate of the world.

As we remember to keep Christ at the center of our Christmas celebrations and anticipation this year, let's hold on to that image of meeting a precious young child for the first time, and thank God for the hope we have thanks to His son's birth into and presence in our world!