| … she [Anna] gave thanks to God … |
| —from Luke 2:38 |
The Bible only mentions Anna once, but the memory of her lives on through the ages, even to this very day. Notice how Dr. Luke describes Anna, as found in Luke 2:36-38:
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.
Dr. Luke says Anna was a Prophet. Yet, some have said she may not have foretold the future like Simeon did at the time of this same meeting with Mary, Joseph, and Baby Jesus, who had come to the Temple at Jerusalem in order to fulfill the requirements of the Law, and in order to present Jesus to God with an offering for sacrifice. Rather, Anna forthtold the impression that God had given her of His precious Son.
Whether Anna foretold the future, or she forthtold her God-given impression, she certainly knew her way around the Temple, and she knew well the Scriptures of the Old Testament. Luke speaks of her love for the place where the Holy of Holies resided—this place where pilgrims from all over Israel came several times a year for the Jewish festivals. Luke proclaims that this octogenarian never left the temple, but worshiped day and night.
Anna must have enjoyed special favors from the priests, in order to live within the Temple walls along with other Temple servants. No doubt she had plenty to share about her knowledge of the sacred texts. Of one thing I am fully persuaded: Anna not only knew the text of Psalm 122:1-9, she actually lived it!
I rejoiced with those who said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord.” Our feet are standing in your gates, Jerusalem. Jerusalem is built like a city that is closely compacted together. That is where the tribes go up— the tribes of the Lord— to praise the name of the Lord according to the statute given to Israel. There stand the thrones for judgment, the thrones of the house of David. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May those who love you be secure. May there be peace within your walls and security within your citadels.” For the sake of my family and friends, I will say, “Peace be within you.” For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek your prosperity.
Anna watched the tribes of people “go up” to Jerusalem, year after year. Perhaps on former journeys, Mary and Joseph had even seen this old woman in the temple. Anna rejoiced over this Holy City, praised God for it, and prayed for its peace, just as the Psalmist had instructed. Anna saw Jesus as the Hope for her city, her Temple, her people, and her world. She had given her life in devotion to that Hope. She spent her days there in the Temple serving the Lord.
I suppose the nuns of the Roman Catholic church could be likened to Anna in their life-long devotion to service. But, I’m thinking that Protestant women can dedicate themselves to the Lord in service to Christ, His Kingdom, and their church in this modern age, as well. I challenge myself and my Christian sisters to make a vow like Anna gave before God that, in the new year of 2026, we will dedicate ourselves to the reading, studying, and meditating on the Scriptures, to prayer, and to the work of God through the church.
The Lord Jesus Christ expects us, as serious disciples, to give more than a single hour of time in worship each week. He wants us, as much as it is possible, to give our lives, like He did, to the work of His Kingdom through the church. We should love Him and His church. We should serve Christ’s church with a heart like Anna’s—even to our eighty-fourth year and beyond.
