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While reading the Christmas story recently, I paused on the few verses about Anna. Anna is my grandmother’s namesake—and I was struck by the parallels of their stories. Both Anna and my grandmother were widowed, and both dedicated their lives to serving God—giving thanks to Him and speaking about Jesus the Messiah to everyone they encountered.
When Jesus was six weeks old, Mary and Joseph brought Him to the temple in Jerusalem, as was required by Jewish law. There, according to Luke 2:26–38 (NIV) two people recognised Jesus as the Messiah—Simeon and Anna:
There was also a prophet, Anna, the daughter of Penuel, of the tribe of Asher.
She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage,
and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but
worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. Coming 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.
Having lost her husband after only seven years of marriage, with no one to provide for her, and in light of the cultural oppression from the Romans, Anna had every reason to be bitter—even angry with God. And yet, she had hope. She trusted God, anticipating the fulfilment of His promises through the coming Messiah. She ministered to those in the temple, sharing God’s Word with them. And even though she had to wait years upon years, she was steadfast in her devotion and anticipation.
Upon seeing the holy family, Anna immediately knew Jesus for who He was, and who He would become. She recognised the new beginning for all mankind, and she would not be silent. My favorite part of her story is that she “spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem,” which I can imagine was everyone who walked through the temple doors. This was the essence of my grandmother—speaking about Jesus, and the hopeful anticipation that God’s promises would be fulfilled, up until her very last breath on this earth. Her faithful example was her greatest gift to me—teaching me to hold on to this great hope.
The hope we share with the least of these isn’t just because of Christ’s birth, but also because we, like Anna, anticipate the fulfilment of Christ’s promise to return—when God’s "dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 'He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death' or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away" (Revelation 21:3b–4, NIV).
It was while Anna was devotedly ministering to others that God restored her hope by showing her the babe, Jesus. As we enter 2018, I pray that we will experience and reflect the fullness of His presence as we share God’s love with those who have lost hope around the world.
"May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Romans 15:5–6, NIV).
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