“Cultivate a posture of dependence, realizing the strength needed for whatever lies ahead comes from God alone.”
Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – February 25, 2023
And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived with her husband seven years from when she was a virgin, and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day. And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem. Luke 2:36-38, ESV
In Luke 2, we briefly meet a woman named Anna. Though little biographical information is given, in just a few short verses we quickly realize this is a woman who was no stranger to grief and loss. After only seven years of marriage, her husband died and she lived the rest of her life as a widow. Here we now find her at the end of her life, an eighty-four-year-old woman, “advanced in years,” yet showing the fruit of a lifetime of faithfulness and devotion to God.
“She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day” (Luke 2:37).
Today, I encourage intentional and extended reflection upon this single verse, for I believe it contains great truths for the Christian life that we, like Anna, would be wise to embrace.
First, Anna lived a life oriented to the life of the temple. Her personal story found its true meaning when it was connected to the story of Israel and God’s healing of his people through Christ. The same must be true of us. Would someone say of you in your advanced years that you were “someone who did not depart from the church?” What a beautiful truth to which we must aspire, and how painful and difficult it surely is! To remain connected to the church is to press through relational disappointment, broken promises, and every other form of human brokenness. And yet, to stay connected to the church is to cling to Christ, for it is his body and we cannot live the Christian life as solo practitioners. Anna understood this, and so must we.
Second, she lived a disciplined life. For Anna, worship was not simply a mental pursuit of God, thinking about him or reflecting in a disembodied way. No, her worship was defined by concrete habits of faith that trained her in godliness. Notably, hers was a life of intentional and regular fasting, saying “no” to certain foods in order to more fully say “yes” to God. Can you and I say the same? In truth, fasting has less to do with the food itself or a legalistic set of rules but is primarily about your freedom! Food is a strong desire, and when we sit in the driver’s seat, we learn to live in a right-sized relationship with it, welcoming it as a wonderful servant and seeing clearly the dangers of having it as a master.
Lastly, Anna models a rhythmed life that is ordered around the natural rhythms of each day. Her worship, prayer, and fasting was not spontaneous or scattered, based on a passing emotion or when she could fit it in. It was “night and day.” Are you intentional in how you build the rhythms of your day? Do you have a bedtime habit that helps you put the cares of the previous day to rest, entrusting them to the mercy and love of God? Similarly, as you begin each day, how can you cultivate a posture of dependence, realizing the strength needed for whatever lies ahead comes from God alone?
Let us give thanks to God for the faithfulness of his servant Anna, and looking to her as an example, may we press on in faith, seeking Christ and his kingdom with expectant hearts, speaking of him to all who are looking and searching for hope.
Prayer
Father, thank you for the life and witness of Anna. May we learn from her example and live lives of faithfulness and unwavering hope, we pray through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Application
Take time today to meditate further upon these verses from Luke 2, asking the Lord to speak to you through the witness of the prophetess, Anna.
Related Reading
Isaiah 40:31; Romans 15:13; 1 Peter 1:3
Worship Resource
Lauren Daigle: Rescue
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