Hope Awakening: Anna
“There was also a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived seven years with her husband after her marriage, then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple, but worshiped night and day with fasting and with prayer. And coming forward at that very time, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem.”
Luke 2:36-38
Perhaps you’ve heard in recent years some try to discount the importance of women in ministry. Some Christians believe that women aren’t supposed to preach and teach. I love how God continually shows us the importance of women, not only throughout Scripture but also directly in Jesus’ life and ministry. We’ve already seen two amazing women in Jesus’ life: Mary and Elizabeth. Mary answered God’s challenging call to literally grow His Only Son in her womb and raise him. (Some believe Joseph likely died somewhere between Jesus’ 13th and 30th year, so it’s possible Mary was a single mom for half of Jesus’ life!) God filled Elizabeth with His Holy Spirit to prophesy to Mary about the child in her womb.
Don’t let anyone fool you into believing women aren’t important in ministry.
Anna was a faithful Jewish woman widowed very early into her marriage. We do not have a lot of accounts of widowed women in Scripture, and the few that come to mind are stories of widowed women and their children. Anna did not have any children, so when she became a widow at a young age, she moved into the temple! Luke tells us she never left the temple, spending the majority of her life worshipping, praying, and fasting for the Lord. It’s entirely possible she spent six decades of her life living in the temple. What dedication and love she had for God!
Unlike Simeon, Anna didn’t receive any instruction from God about the long-awaited for Messiah. Day in and day out, though, she prayed and worshipped. She joined her fellow Israelites in hoping expectantly for the coming of the Savior.
God blessed her obedience.
The temple would have been a busy place. Sacrifices and offerings, visitors from all over. Official incense offerings twice a day. It was noisy, chaotic, and smelly. The day that Mary and Joseph brought baby Jesus to the temple for the purification offering would’ve been no different. An ordinary day with some an extraordinary presence that would be missed by many. Simeon first caught sight of Jesus, led by the Spirit, and blessed Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. Anna was also in the temple, and this scene caught her attention. She recognized something special happening and perhaps went closer to investigate.
We aren’t told of any exchange between Anna and the exceptional family. Once she discovered who the child was, though, she couldn’t contain her excitement! She immediately praised God for the answered prayer (the big one the Israelites had all been praying for: the Savior!). She then went around the temple telling anyone who would listen about this special child. Just like the shepherds, Anna acted as one of the first evangelists, sharing the Good News with everyone. The tiny, ordinary-looking baby would be the one to redeem God’s people. He has arrived!
All praise and glory be to God, forever and ever!
Reflection: A challenge for you today: grab a journal and jot down as many female names as you can from Scripture. Note something about that woman and her role in God’s redemption story. We ALL have a role to play, women included! Spend some time writing about one of the women who can be an encouragement to you when you feel discouraged.