“(Anna) never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. Coming up to them (Mary and Joseph) at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child [Jesus] to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.” Luke 2:36–38
Lord Jesus, by the calendar of incarnate-grace, you were just 8-days-old when Anna met you in the temple. Worshipping and waiting for decades, she longed for your arrival and the redemption you would bring—a salvation much bigger than she anticipated.
Anna could see as far as Jerusalem, but you came to cover the entire earth with your glory (Hab. 2:14), and to make “all things new” (Rev. 21:5). Hallelujah, and thank you. There’s nothing more than the Gospel, just more of the Gospel. That’s just as true for us as it was for Anna.
But here’s the deal, Jesus, Anna’s heart was pregnant with hope and she loved you. That’s what we want for ourselves—in fresh, large portions. We who live on this side of your cross, resurrection, and ascension may have a more developed theology than Anna. But her lifestyle of worshipping you, longing for you, and her passion for your Kingdom attracts us and convicts us to the core.
As we wind down 2022, and prepare for 2023, many of us are spiritually-flat, and emotionally triggered by anything but your beauty, goodness, and truth, Jesus. Hard circumstances—those we’ve inherited and those we’ve brought on ourselves seize 90% of our waking moments and emotional bandwidth. Change that percentage Jesus. Change us. Anna was an old lady with a childlike heart. Even as her body was wearing out, Anna’s spirit was ramping up. We crave the same Jesus. You are all that matters. Jesus, only you are worthy. So Very Amen.