It’s all about Jesus!
Coming up at that very hour, she gave thanks to the Lord and spoke of him to all those who were looking for redemption in Jerusalem.
Luke 2:38
There is a Christmas carol at the end of today’s devotion. It asks the question, “What can I give Him?” Anna answered the question with her faithful life even before Jesus was born.
The question is an important one for every believer. Not to secure salvation. But to honor the Lord with our lives.
Anna’s life was lived that way. It’s why she has a place in God’s story.
If you have ever read Luke’s account of the Christmas story, you know who she is.
We have only a very small amount of information about Anna. But she would be the first to tell you, this is a story about our Savior, not about her.
Anna lived her life to point lost people to Christ.
Anna had only been married seven years when her husband died. There is no mention in the Bible that she had children.
From the time her husband died, Anna remained in the temple. She served God by faithfully praying. She also served others.
Anna continued her dedicated life until her death at age 84.
She is called a prophetess in Luke’s account because she diligently reminded the people of the coming Promise. Her best blessings were her salvation and meeting her Savior face to face—the Messiah.
And she did meet Him as a baby when Mary and Joseph brought Jesus to the temple to fulfill Hebrew law.
When Anna saw Jesus, she praised God. Anna began urgently telling people that the Promise, and Hope of the world had been born.
Are there any Anna’s in your life? Maybe you are one. These days, people like Anna are hard to find, even among believers. They don’t want praise for themselves. They are never self-absorbed. People like Anna are looking for an experience to show Jesus to their world.
I know one in particular. Her name is Earline.
I don’t know a lot about Earline, except for what shows. What shows is her heart for God. She reveals this by loving people. She is kind and happy and seems to love to laugh and smile.
Earline has been known to drop everything to pray with people who are hurting, sick or lost. I’ve been told that she never passes up an opportunity to share the Gospel.
People like Anna and Earline know that their kind words can’t save people. They know that anything good in them is Jesus. They just want to be more like Him and show others what He has done for them.
This exhortation from Paul on first glance won’t seem festive as if it belongs in a Christmas message. But look at the verse with intentional eyes. Open your heart.
Isn’t this the very same message that Jesus came to bring? It is the Christmas message of hope for the world to all who will ever believe that the Messiah has indeed come to every believing heart. Thanks be to God!
1 Thessalonians 2:13
For this cause we also thank God without ceasing that when you received from us the word of the message of God, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, God’s word, which also works in you who believe.
In the Bleak Mid-Winter1
In the bleak midwinter
Our God, Heaven cannot hold Him
Nor earth sustain
Heaven and earth shall flee away
When He comes to reign
In the bleak mid-winter
A stable-place sufficed
Lord God Almighty, Jesus Christ
What can I give Him
Poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd, I would give a lamb
If I were a wise man, I would do my part
Yet what I can, I give Him
Give my heart
Source: Songwriter:
- In the Bleak Mid-Winter
Christina Georgina Rosetti
Ca 1875 ↩︎
World English Bible (WEB)
by Public Domain. The name “World English Bible” is trademarked.
Getting the Seed out of the basket and into hungry hearts. Matthew 13 