Anna, 84 years old and she is still serving and waiting for the Messiah of the world to come. Did she sit around worrying about the troubles in her life? No, instead she fasts & prays! Anna had experienced loss. She was married and then lost her husband after 7 years of marriage. We don’t know if she had any kids, but it seems unlikely since she was living and working in the temple after her husband died. All those years serving God, waiting for the Messiah to come.
She did not leave the temple grounds, serving night and day with fasts and prayers. Luke 2:37 b
Any lady can fast and pray
You may ask, what is an 84-year-old woman capable of doing for God’s Kingdom? Well, this lady served the Lord with fasting & prayers. I don’t think it is a coincidence that we are first told she served with fasting. This was her practice; Anna served God by giving up the basic human need of eating to pray instead. It makes me ask myself, what am I giving up so I can pray more?
Is it any surprise that God told her when the Messiah came to the temple as a little baby? Not really, she was a woman who had been fasting and praying for years. She kept serving while waiting for God’s promise. Because of her service she was able to see Him, Jesus, as a babe, the promised one. What a thrilling day that must have been, her hope was realized. He had come!
At that very moment she came up and began giving thanks to God, and continued to speak of Him to all those who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem. Luke 2:38
Think about Mary and Joseph when Anna, a prophetess, comes to meet their son. She immediately begins to thank the Lord for His redemption and to tell others about Jesus. She knew why Jesus came, to redeem – to buy us back from our enemy. Jesus is still to this very day redeeming those who come to Him, He is still buying us back!
Put an exclamation point on your prayers!
My husband, John, has encouraged us that fasting puts an exclamation point on our prayers. It lets God know that we are serious about what we are asking Him to do on our behalf. When I fast & pray, it is amazing to me the clarity I receive from God. Try it, put that exclamation point on your prayers, just like Anna.
Think about our lives today, are we actively serving the Lord while waiting for what we hope for? Are we like Anna serving with fasting & prayer, and telling others as we long to see Jesus return ?
Thank you for the reminder. I have read about … and thought about…fasting and prayer. It is the fasting part that I am uncertain about..but have thought about it. Done it only once, really. It is something I need to look into more; I pray that your thoughts will help me do that. Thank you.
I need the reminder as well. Anna is very inspiring to me. She kept serving and denying herself as she waited for Jesus to come. Take care, Carolyn
Thank you so much for this encouragement!