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"Praise and proclamation from an aged prophet"
Friday, 5 January 2018
Luke 2:36 There was also a prophet named Hannah Bat-P’nu’el, of the tribe of Asher. She was a very old woman — she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage 37 and had remained a widow ever since; now she was eighty-four. She never left the Temple grounds but worshipped there night and day, fasting and praying. 38 She came by at that moment and began thanking God and speaking about the child to everyone who was waiting for Yerushalayim to be liberated.
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Another elderly saint, Anna, “approached at that very moment and began to praise God.” (She and Simeon formed one of the first—and one of the smallest—“praise choirs” ever.) Luke didn’t record her exact words when she “gave thanks to God and spoke about the child” (verse 38), but her testimony was clearly important to Mary and Joseph. Because of her devotion to God and the time she spent in the Temple, she would have been able to share her words regarding Jesus with many of the worshipers there.
Ø Luke called Anna a prophet (verse 36). “Prophet” did not mean so much one who tells the future as one who sees present spiritual realities clearly and speaks for God. When has “confirmation from the body of Christ” (the kind Simeon and Anna gave Joseph and Mary)
given you the courage to move forward in some significant way? When have you been able to encourage another Christ-follower?
• This passage didn’t say how old Anna was when her husband died. In that day, women typically married in their early teens, so it’s a reasonable estimate that she had been constantly in the temple for around sixty years. How can your time spent praying, studying the Bible, and worshipping God shape what you do with the rest of your time, with how you live your life? How can your worship fill you with the same trust and eager anticipation that it gave to Anna?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, at all the ages of my life, help me, like Anna, to serve you with worship, praise and a willingness to speak about Jesus. Amen.
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Ginger RothhaasGinger is a graduate of Saint Paul School of Theology. She and her husband Rob have a son, a daughter, and a high energy dog. She loves writing, conversations over coffee, and teaching spiritual classes.
In Luke’s telling of the birth of Jesus, he ends what we call the Christmas story with a new character, a woman named Anna. At this point in the story, it has been eight days since Jesus was born. Jewish Law stated that the infant must be circumcised in the temple on the eighth day of life. Luke tells us that Joseph and Mary take their baby to the temple for this ritual and a woman named Anna steps up to see the baby and talk with Mary.
This is an easy section to skim over as you read the story. But Luke provides some interesting details about this woman, which is typically a flag to the reader to pay attention and think a little deeper. Luke tells us the woman’s name is Anna, she is a prophet, she is elderly and was widowed a very long time ago.
Scholars seem to think that Anna either lived in the temple or near by. They agree she was a devoted woman of faith and dedicated her life to living in deep connection to God. Luke tells us of Anna as the last detail in the narrative of the birth of Jesus. The next story in Luke is when Jesus is a teen and goes missing in the temple. So why is she important in this story and what are we supposed to learn from this woman’s presence?
I think Anna offers the reader a message of hope, wonder, and awe.
As Anna’s eyes looked into baby Jesus’ eyes, she saw hope for the world. She saw a force of love that would rise above empire. She saw wisdom deeper than any human can comprehend. She saw peace beyond our understanding. She saw Love.
Something bigger is happening here than these humans in the temple following Jewish Law. God is opening a divine teaching opportunity for Jesus to teach and model how to live. Anna recognizes the greatest teacher of love is in their midst. And it makes me wonder what the world would be like if we all had Anna’s eyes. Imagine the possibilities if we saw God in every human through eyes of hope, wonder, and awe. Imagine the possibilities!
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"Luke’s summary of Jesus’ boyhood"
Saturday, 6 January 2018
Luke 2:39 When Yosef and Miryam had finished doing everything required by the Torah of Adonai, they returned to the Galil, to their town Natzeret.
40 The child grew and became strong and filled with wisdom — God’s favor was upon him.
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Luke was the only gospel writer to give us even a glimpse into the years of Jesus' childhood. (Some later gospels tried to imaginatively fill in some of the gaps, and occasionally generate headlines today. But none of them have any strong claim to eyewitness reliability.) Luke added the story of Jesus in the temple at age 12, which we studied two weeks ago (cf. Luke 2:41-52). There he wrote that Jesus remained obedient to Joseph (as his earthly father) and Mary for 18 more years.
Ø Luke showed Jesus as a dutiful, but far from ordinary, son. According to verse 40 (and expanded on a bit in verse 52), Jesus grew mentally, physically, and spiritually during his years in Nazareth. In which of these areas did you experience the most growth during 2017? Ask God to guide you as you look toward your “growing edge” in these areas of life. Ask for wisdom and courage as you fill out your plans to continue growing in 2018.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, I’m thankful for your presence in my life, for the fruit you are bearing in me. Please continue to guide and empower me so I can choose a life with you that is worth living.
Amen.
Family Activity: God is always with us—though too often we aren’t aware of God’s presence. Review with your family the story of Simeon and Anna recognizing Jesus in the Temple. Then at supper (or other days’ end activity), ask each member of your family where he or she saw God that day, with questions like, “Where did you see God at work today?” or “In what or whom did you experience God’s presence today?” Do this for at least a week, and consider making it a part of family life. You might create a journal or a banner where you illustrate or write out some of your responses. Each month, review the ways you have each experienced God. Help each person become increasingly aware of God’s presence in his or her life. Thank God for being a constant and faithful presence.
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Prayer Requests – cor.org/prayer
Prayers for Peace & Comfort for:
•Sandi Morgan and family on the death of her mother Lois Kinnaw, 12/22
•Family and friends of Patricia “Pat” Arlund on her death, 12/22
• Julie Jarnevic and family on the death of her sister Teresa Enenbach, 12/21
•Family and friends of Glenna House on her death, 12/21
•Sharon Bryant and family on the death of her husband Tom Bryant, 12/19
•Rea Wilson and family on the death of her husband Dave Wilson, 12/18
•Bailey Amtower and David Wilson III and families on the death of their father Dave Wilson, 12/18
•Family and friends of Dan Williams on his death, 12/18
•Walt McKenzie and family on the death of his sister-in-law Donna J. Robinson, 12/16
•Family and friends of EmmaLee Miller on her death, 12/11
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