Don’t Miss the Moment!

Christmas moments: decorating the tree, baking Christmas cookies with the kids, the moment when your child opens up the gift that makes them dance a jig! These snapshot moments do not happen often, so don’t miss them!

The prophetess Anna didn’t miss her Christmas moment. Why? Because she had been looking for the Christ of Christmas for years! Take a look:

At that very moment she came up and began giving thanks to God, and continued to speak of Him to all those who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem. Luke 2:38

We have been examining Anna’s life as she was SEEKing the redemption of Jerusalem and we are to the “K” in SEEK:

S: shifted sorrow into service

E: Encouraged other people

E: Expected the Bridegroom

K: Kept telling about Jesus

At this point, Anna could be as old as 106 (married at 15 + 7 yrs of marriage + 84 yrs serving = 106). Finally, Anna’s big moment has arrived!

What was the moment? Remember Simeon? Simeon was serving in the temple when Mary and Joseph brought Jesus for the traditional dedication service. Jesus was 40 days old.  The Spirit had told Simeon he would not die until he saw the Messiah. So in your mind, imagine the scene of Simeon recognizing Jesus as Messiah. He starts praising God and blessing Jesus. Then Anna catches a glimpse…

Here it is – Anna’s big moment. She joined in on the praise session and KEPT on telling others about Him.

What would’ve happened had Anna been preoccupied with busyness on this most important day? She could have missed THE moment. If she had missed her moment, she would not have  “continued to speak of Him” to others. What a missed moment that could have been!

We should take a lesson from Anna. Let’s not miss our moment of telling others the true meaning of Christmas because we are too busy! <Tweet this

So two very aged people – Anna and Simeon – were two of the first people to publicly acknowledge Jesus as Messiah. Is their age significant? I think so…they were both described as “lookers“. Simeon was looking for the consolation of Israel, Anna, the redemption of Jerusalem. What they had looked for in faith was now made sight!

Kind of gives new meaning to “out with the old and in with the new”. Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament promise and inaugurated a new covenant!

Are we known as “lookers” too? This Christmas, look for the Christ of Christmas. He will surely reveal Himself in the most unexpected ways!

Here are links to the rest of this series:  Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, & Part 4.