36There was also a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, 37and then was a widow until she was eighty-four.[e] She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. 38Coming 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.
39When Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth. 40And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him.
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It is absolutely wonderful seeing God's plan of salvation unfold in these first two chapters of Luke. It is so detailed and all too human at the level at which events took place. Look at all these people whom God called and who obeyed God that the Saviour of the world may be brought to this world. It's so not how I would've planned it, yet it did happen the way it did. And this shows that God is good and that He is so great. Why should I imitate the humility and the meekness as a Christian? Why, if I should care, for the needy and the poor? My Lord Jesus exemplifies the humility and meekness in coming down to this earth, being exalted by shepherds and having had a small(guessing) scared teenage unwed mom. My God, He is God, how can He do this? I stand amazed. The fact of the matter is, He exemplified the humility He now calls me to display and live with in this life. Lord, help me live this way.
I yam also so amazed at the timing of God's plan of salvation. Everything takes place in the alloted time that God has deemed fit. There were prophets of old testament who talked of the coming of the messiah, long before there seemed any hope. There is Zachariah, John the baptist's dad who was shut up due to his understandable unbelief. There was John and his leaping in his mom's womb, all before the birth of the saviour. In fact, I take that God must have been preparing the birth of the saviour since the very "beginning," and likely the concept of time does not even apply in this sense. Today's text tells of Jesus growing up to be "strong," likely going through the teenage years. Before the three years of His ministry, Jesus had to grow and wait out for the appointed time. Everything happens in the alloted time that God has deemed fit. While questions and mysteries abound regarding that timing, it is of much comfort to me that I can ultimately hope and trust in the sovereignty of God in doing all that He does. And He is God, and He does all things well. I need not fear, my questions can come under this trust in His sovereignty. Jesus, the plans which brought you to this world seem so elaborate, yet so counter-how-i-would-have-done. Help me not grow anxious at the turn of events which seem so randumb in life. Rather, help me trust in thy goodness that I can be like you. Amen.
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