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And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel. Of the tribe of Aser; she was of great age, and had lived with a husband seven years from her virginity; and she was a widow for eighty-four years, who did not depart from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. - Luke 2:36,37
In Luke’s gospel, we are introduced to a remarkable woman named Anna; a very old woman who had spent eighty-four years serving God in the temple “with fastings and prayers night and day.” We are told that she had been married, but after the death of her husband, apparently the only other relationship she desired was with God.
This prompts us to contemplate the fact that it is possible to have a relationship with God that is more satisfying than any other relationship a human can have.
We are told that Anna was also a prophetess. Her love for God had also privileged her to be able to hear His voice and convey His messages to others. Thus she was able to recognize that Jesus was the Messiah, merely by beholding Him in His mother’s arms.
So many people long for intimacy and consistently seek out relationships with other flawed human beings in an effort to reach an elusive pinnacle of fulfillment. Many times these relationships end disastrously leaving in their wake wounded and damaged souls. Too many people, including some Christians, end up writhing in the throes of sexual sin in a misplaced quest for intimacy.
But here we can look at Anna, an aged wonder, whose heart beats with a fiery passion for God that is also reciprocated by the One she adores. She is satisfied, content and fulfilled in this relationship beyond anything she could experience from another mere mortal. This example should be a motivation for us as well; to want to seek God for that same fulfillment.
The human soul was designed to be in union with God. Sin and self-will are the barriers that keep the majority of humans locked in a vacuum of un-fulfillment and emptiness that cannot be filled by anything other than their Creator.
Prior to the advent of the Messiah Jesus, the Holy Spirit was only given to a handful of human vessels, but it was always God’s intention to gather all of humanity into His embrace.
Through faith in Jesus’ atoning death for our sins and His resurrection from the dead, we can all have an intimate relationship with God through the Messiah Jesus.
Anna never left the physical temple. Under the New Covenant those who receive Christ as their Savior become the temple where communion with God through His Spirit can be a continual experience.
Total fulfillment is possible in this life. As we look at Anna, a woman who chose to be married to God, can we seek for the same communion with the One who loves us more than any human is capable of loving, and be content with God alone?
Copyright 2024 by H. D. Shively
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