Characters at the Cradle: Anna, A Life of Abiding

by David Chadwick

This week we are looking at Anna, a beautiful figure in the early days of Jesus’s life.

At 84 years old, this woman shows us a real-life example of what happens when someone abides in Christ.

Jesus says in John 15:4, “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.” There is no replacement for a life that has been marked by the Spirit, is full of the Spirit, and is producing the fruit of the Spirit.

As we saw yesterday, Anna regularly worshiped, fasted, and prayed in the temple, even at the age of 84! She was a prophetess who sought God’s wisdom for Israel’s future.

Don’t you think that Anna must have seen baby Jesus while worshiping, fasting, and praying in the temple day and night? At that moment, she just knew, deep within her soul, that he was the Messiah, the one for whom she and many others longed, prayed, and hoped.

How do we know that she saw him? Because Luke 1:38 says, “And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God…” All her years of waiting were now realized, and all of her prophecies about the coming of the Messiah were now satisfied.

At that very moment when her eyes saw Jesus, her prayers were answered. She saw the one who would redeem Israel and the world. You and me.

When your prayers are answered, what else can you do except give thanks? That is what Anna did. It is also what we should do whenever God finally gives us our breakthrough. We should also train ourselves to praise God BEFORE the breakthrough occurs, believing we’ve received, knowing God’s promises are true, and claiming them before we actually see them.

I want to challenge each of you as you read about the life of Anna. Do you have a life that would recognize Jesus if he were standing right in front of you? Anna knew it was Jesus because she KNEW Jesus. Too often, people learn about Jesus through other people but don’t actually encounter him personally.

An abiding life is marked by worship, prayer, and fasting. It prioritizes King Jesus and wants to see glimpses of his kingdom here on earth as it is in heaven.

Characters at the Cradle: Anna, A True Worshiper

by David Chadwick

Anna is this week’s character at the cradle. Her story is found alongside Simeon’s story in the temple where Mary and Joseph took Jesus to present him to the Lord at their purification ceremony.

Anna lost her husband after being married seven years and is described by Luke as a prophetess and a widow at 84 years of age. She did not depart from the temple, seeking God with all her heart.

How did she seek God? Luke made sure to outline very precisely how Anna lived a life that was fully dedicated to seeking the Lord.

First, she worshiped. Evidently she had a deep love for worshiping God and being in his presence. Worship seemed to be the foundation of everything else that Anna did to cultivate a deep walk with her Creator. I can almost picture in my imagination a faithful, older woman who loved to simply sit and praise God. Do you think she sang the psalms? Maybe meditating on the greatness of her God? Do you think she replayed the stories she had heard through generations of the Messiah who would come?

Secondly, the Bible says that Anna worshiped with fasting. When the Bible references fasting, it was typically from food. Fasting forces our bodies to be in submission to the Spirit who lives in us. Every growl of the stomach should remind us to seek God for our needs, our hopes, and our desires.

As followers of Jesus, we, too, should practice this spiritual discipline of fasting. Did you know that even in the secular world, medical professionals speak to the benefits of fasting for your physical health? But remember, as evidenced in Isaiah 58, that God cares more about our hearts than anything. Whatever we abstain from, God’s desire is that we increase in holiness, purity, humility, and repentance. So, maybe it’s food. Or maybe you need to take a break from social media, entertainment, shopping, or anything that could take the place of God. So that you can fully and clearly focus on him and his promises to you.

Finally, Anna worshiped with prayer. Prayer is simply a conversation with God. Anna most likely expressed her love for God, and God expressed his love for her. She did this “night and day.” Day and night, night and day, she worshiped, fasted, and prayed. Even at 84 years of age!

Anna should be an example for all of us of how to abide no matter our age. No wonder Dr. Luke wanted to include Anna in the Christmas story. What a godly woman who lived in adoration of her loving God!

Characters at the Cradle: Anna, A Woman Worthy of Honor

by David Chadwick

Anna, a prophetess, is this week’s character at the cradle.

The name Anna means “grace” and “favor.” True to her name’s meaning, Anna was a beautiful display of the grace that would fully be made known to the world through the life of Jesus. Anna was also the daughter of Phanuel from the tribe of Asher, one of the 12 tribes of Israel.

Do you think Dr. Luke interviewed Anna personally? He certainly gave details of her family line in great specificity. I can’t help but wonder what kind of father Phanuel was to have raised such a wonderful daughter like Anna. A really good one I’d bet!

Along with Simeon, Anna was in the temple when Mary and Joseph presented Jesus for the purification ceremony. Her presence there was divinely ordained, and both she and Simeon were used to prophetically confirm all Gabriel had already told Mary and Joseph.

In the context of this story, we see in verse 36 that Anna was advanced in years. Let me first stop and point out the importance of knowing people who are older than you. Proverbs 16:31 says, “Gray hair is a crown of glory; it is gained in a righteous life.” It is reflected in those who have gained a measure of wisdom simply because of the number of years they’ve lived.

We also see that Anna had gotten married later in life and had been married for seven years before her husband died. She clearly understood grief and the sadness of losing a loved one. At the age of 84, she found herself a widow after only a short time of being married. Again, notice the specifics of Luke’s writing. We are able to deduce based on his fine details that she was a virgin until she was married and now lives alone again. Anna was a shining display of maturity and integrity and the Biblical virtue of chastity.

Paul talks about the command to honor older women in all purity in 1 Timothy 5:2. Then in Titus 2:3-5, Paul addresses how older women are to teach younger women how to be self-controlled, wise, and pure.

Anna’s life modeled the exhortations Paul had for young people. This is such a good message for younger women and men today. Find older mentors who really love the Lord and have lived a faithful life to the Lord. Let them speak into your life. Learn from them. There are certain things that can only be learned by someone who has lived life. Learn from their stories of how to get up when knocked down, how to persevere, how to pray, how to be faithful to your spouse, and how to live for God’s “Well done.”