I know that a number of the readers of these meditations are Christians who, for a variety of reasons, are treading a lonely pathway and feeling it particularly this Christmas time. I hope that today’s meditation will be a help to you.
Anna stands out as one of the most amazing characters at the time of the birth of Jesus. Everything about her seemed unspectacular, e.g. she was a widow for many years, probably with no children; she came from the small tribe of Asher.
It is as well that God’s thoughts and ways are not like our own. Her testimony was so impressive that God has left her name on record in the Bible in honour of her contribution to this great event of Jesus’s birth. She did not allow the adverse circumstances of life to dull her spirits. She was a prophetess, i.e. God spoke to, and through, her. Home was a lonely place but this did not lead to a meaningless manner of life. She could be found at any time in the Temple in Jerusalem, praying and fasting. Release from home duties gave her the great opportunity to serve God, full time.
However, this did not cut her off from people. She must have met thousands in the Temple over the years and she knew those who were looking for better spiritual days in Jerusalem and the coming of the Messiah. It was not by chance that eight days after Jesus’s birth, she came across Simeon, Mary and Joseph with Him in the Temple. We can only imagine the joy that gripped her on that occasion. From that day forward, all she wanted to do was to speak of Him to all those who shared her hopes. Luke chapter 2 verses 36-38.
Never think that someone is so insignificant that they are of no value to God! All God asks of us is to do for Him what we can, with what we have, and He will honour it! Whoever we are, we can pray and speak about Him!
Do the days seem long and lonely? Thank God there is One Who is always near – if we only realise it. Take encouragements from the Scriptures and meet up with God’s people when you can, in person or by zoom etc Please contact us and we will gladly send you a Bible or help answer any questions you may have. We will pray for you. Come back again for another Message of Hope.