The Lord Remembers:
Heard by God
As We Gather
In Advent we prepare for the “advent,” or coming of the Lord our Savior. He first came in the flesh at Christmas, the fulfillment of all the prophecies of the Old Testament. More than that, however, He also comes to us today in His Word and Sacraments. Then, as at His first coming, we also gather now in patient anticipation of His final coming in the day of the resurrection of all flesh. This year we are encouraged by the example of the patient waiting of three women in the Old Testament. The first is Sarah, the wife of Abraham, our father in faith, and the mother of Isaac. The second is the unnamed wife of Manoah and mother of Samson, the great “savior judge” and deliverer of God’s people. Finally is Hannah, the wife of Elkanah and mother of Samuel. All of these prepare us for Mary and the virgin birth of Jesus, the Son of God. As each of these women had no prospect of bearing a child yet had the gift of faith that nothing is impossible with God, so the Scriptures enable us to exercise the patience of faith under whatever trials beset us. This patience makes Advent a season of hope.
In the birth of Samuel, the Lord God once again miraculously extends the lineage that would result in Christmas, the birth of the Savior, the Son of Mary, the Son of God. Hannah is known for her “silent cry” to the Lord that He would give her a son. God heard her cry, so she named the child Samuel, which literally means “heard by God.” God has also answered our prayer, especially our silent cries of loneliness, emptiness, and sadness. By His advent Word He gives us the hope that leads us to rejoicing in the gift of His Son, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Readings