“And when the eight days were completed so as to circumcise Him, His name was then called Jesus; the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb...And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived with a husband seven years after her marriage, and then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. And she never left the temple, serving night and day with fastings and prayers. And at that very moment (when Simeon was blessing and prophesying over Christ and the Holy family) she came up and began giving thanks to God, and continued to speak of Him to all those who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem...” (Luke 2: 21, 36-38)
I noticed something that I'd never seen before, while reading the Gospel passages surrounding the birth of Christ this year. Did you notice it in the above passage too? The angel Gabriel knew Jesus' name-- in fact God, His Father, had named Jesus, Himself—before he was even conceived! Isn't that incredible? But did you know that God the Father also knew you before you were born? Before you were even conceived? “Thine eyes have seen my unformed substance; and in Thy book they were all written; the days that were ordained for me, when as yet, there was not one of them...” (Psalm 139:16) The Bible teaches us that God set apart a people whom He 'foreknew', and chose us to be His very own “before the foundation of the world.' He also “...predestined us to be conformed to the Image of His Son.” (Romans 11:2; Ephesians 1:4, Rom 8:29) These are incredible truths declared to us in the Holy Scriptures; Facts that have been true from all eternity; but only now, with Christ's appearing in human flesh, on earth, could they begin to actually come to pass for us. His birth marked the beginning of our pathway Home to the Father. A lost, prodigal people, finally leaving the pig sty and heading back towards our waiting, longing, and loving Father...
The other thing I noted in this long passage was Anna. She was an acknowledged prophetess and the daughter of a man named Phanuel. This scripture tells us that Anna had been married for seven years—but then she'd been widowed for the rest of her very long life. We know that most women married young in those days. However, even if she hadn't married until she was 23 and been widowed at the age of 30---it still means she'd have been a widow for at least 54 years (and probably closer to 60, if she'd wed at 17)!!! That is a very long time to live alone. Anna lived in the Temple. Now this was unusual because the temple service was set apart for the tribe of Levi, yet she was from Asher. So, if she lived in the temple, one can assume she was also childless because in those days, sons usually took in their widowed mothers to care for them. So, Anna probably had no where else to turn, when her husband died. No one to look to for help, but God alone. Living in the temple would have given her the opportunity to be provided for out of the donations, or alms, given by the worshippers who came to the temple. A very humbling way of life. Yet, still, God had provided for her needs in this way, and she received it. Indeed she found a new and important role, even as an old widow---of serving God, night and day, with prayers and fastings, in the Temple. She couldn't do much—but she could do that. God had made a place for, and had need of, an old widow who had no one else but Him. Someone who could, and would, give Him the undivided devotion which He deserved. Then, after many years of faithful service, God rewarded her by revealing the Messiah to her old eyes. Now as people came to the temple to worship and seek the way of redemption, or restoration to God, Anna was there to tell them all about Jesus--- and of the way back to God He was initiating...
Scripture reveals to us then, that from before our very conception, all the the way through until our frail, old age, God has a plan for our lives. “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for (your) welfare, and not for calamity, to give you a future and a hope...” (Jeremiah 29:11) “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them...” (Ephesians 2:10) God has good things planned for our lives. Even before we were born He'd 'prepared' them for us. Even when we are alone, or when we are old and frail, He can still use us, and give our lives fulfillment. And He will give to us the strength needed to do what He requires of us. “Listen to me, O house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel, you who have been borne by Me from birth, and have been carried from the womb; Even to your old age I shall be the same, and even to your graying years I shall bear you! I have done it, and I shall carry you; and I shall bear you, and I shall deliver you.” (Isaiah 46: 3-4) So then we can now pray with confidence, “Even when I am old and gray, O God, do not forsake me, until, (like Anna), I declare Thy strength to this generation...” (Psalm 71:18)
Our family lost two wonderful men this past year. My brother-in-law Bill Willard, in January, and my brother Joe, in September. Two, new widows have been created, whom God Himself will comfort and carry through to the end. Life will never, ever, be the same for any one of us. But life can still be good. Because God, whose name, Immanuel, means “God is with us.” (Matt 1:23)--is still here with us and still has plans for our time remaining to us. And He has promised us long ago, ”I will never leave you, no, nor will I ever forsake you...”(Hebrews 13:5) He has never yet broken that promise.
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