Because she was faithful (Gowdy Cannon)

   I imagine that in the decades Anna spent giving over her entire widowed life to glorify God in his holy temple, she had some long seasons filled with menial, tedious, mundane, monotonous service. And yet, because she was faithful, one day she got to experience the exact opposite of that. Anna beheld the Creator of the entire universe and Savior of the world with his tiny hands and feet, unable to talk or walk, as helpless and precious as a human ever is. I weep thinking about her reaction. 

   Because what does Anna do first? She thanks God. Man, what an example! I long for that to be my reaction in the trivial and daily, but also in the big and exciting. Especially with things involving Jesus. 

   And what does Anna do second? She tells everyone in the vicinity about this Jesus. About this baby, and what he would come to be. The most important and magnificent message in the history of time. May we all do that all the time, but especially at Christmas. This is the example of those humble shepherds, as has been preached countless times in churches for 2,000 years. It is the example of humble Anna as well. 

   I imagine there is a vast army of Christians from all times and all cultures who knew widows who were extremely faithful to their churches. Who were prayer warriors and were quick to testify about Jesus. Nearly every church I have served in has had at least a few and sometimes more than a few elderly women like that. Anna was the quintessential fiercely dedicated church widow. 

   And for that reason, I can’t wait to hug her when I get to Heaven. 

--Gowdy Cannon 

Image source: Álvaro Pires de Évora, The Presentation in the Temple (ca.1430), https://slmedia.org/blog/simeon-and-anna-senior-citizen-prophets
Quotation source