Christmas Story(ies): Anna the Prophetess

Recently I've been reading very slowly through the opening chapters of Luke in preparation for Christmas. There's really a lot of little sections to it and each of them have their own story to tell and details to add to the greater story surrounding the birth of Christ.

Can you imagine how Jesus' earthly parents felt during each of these accounts?

Today I read about Anna, the prophetess.

It's a short passage, detailing a moment at the temple as Jesus was being presented and circumcised. Having just had an amazing interaction with Simeon in Luke 2:25-35, now this woman, Anna, came up and gave thanks to God.

Hers is an interesting story told in verses 36-38. I don't believe she's ever mentioned again either. Though the wording detailing the length of time is slightly ambiguous, we can understand that she was a widow at this moment. I imagine that perhaps she had no children as it would've been up to them to take care of their mother; instead she lived on the temple grounds, teaching and proclaiming God's Word.

That said, the details of all of this, are a bit unclear. All we really know is that Anna was a faithful elderly woman, a widow, who lived in the temple.

But what a testament that is? Regardless of the details of her family, she chose to live out the remainder of her days being 'close to God' as it were.

I think of what David said in Psalm 27:4:

"One thing I have asked from the LORD, that I shall seek: That I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD and to meditate in His temple."

Can we say that we have such a desire? To be that close to God? And yet, as believers, we have the immeasurable joy of being indwelt by God, the Holy Spirit. We have that closeness 24/7.

And while I'm sure she did not understand the weight of what she was witnessing with baby Jesus, she obviously knew that this meant something big; that this was a fulfillment of prophecy. God was bringing about the redemption of His people.

So, as we journey through this Christmas season, keeping our minds hopefully on Christ and His birth; let us read these stories and think on them, pondering them in our hearts, as Mary did (2:18).

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