Speak of Him

After Simeon, one would think Mary and Joseph had received enough surprises for the day, but there was another there in the temple. Anna.

And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser: she was of a great age, and had lived with an husband seven years from her virginity; And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem. (Luke 2:36-38 KJV)

Sunday I asked our girls if they could imagine being at the church every day and every night. The first response was “How could we take a shower?” Got by that one easily enough, for our church has a missionary apartment. So we refocused on how it would be to serve God with fastings and prayers night and day.

I’ve read discussions that turned somewhat heated over Anna’s age. Never ceases to amaze me what nominal Christians will argue over, such as: What was Anna’s age? Was she eighty-four, or did she live eighty-four years after her husband died? Had she lived ninety-one years from her marriage? Was she eighty-four or well over one hundred?

Of what importance would that be? I’d rather know that there were those looking for redemption.

More important to me would be that Anna spoke of Him to them. Those who met Him did speak of Him. Quite a few wrote of Him so that His story was shared. We do so even as you read.

There are those that look for redemption today – where are our Annas? Where are our Simeons?

If you really want to see them, look in the same place Mary and Joseph found them – in God’s house. No, there is not a temple in Jerusalem (yet). But there is a church nearby each of us. There might be a man there to whom God has made a promise about what he’ll see before dying. There may be a woman there who serves God night and day, speaking of Jesus to all who come. There certainly are people there who will speak of Him to all who seek redemption, though it be not Jerusalem.

As we celebrate Christ’s birth this season, shouldn’t we take time to visit with Him? To speak of Him to others? To be with those who area seeking redemption?

Is that not the Christmas story?