Saturday, January 3, 2015
Luke 2:36, 38 And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher.... she began to give thanks to God.
BUT MARY TREASURED UP ALL THESE THINGS, PONDERING THEM IN HER HEART (6)
Certainly among those memories treasured up in the heart of Mary was also Anna. You would perhaps expect that someone who had practically lived at the temple for many years would be well-known to Mary and Joseph. But except for the emperor's decree Joseph and Mary had likely not been to Jerusalem more than once a year and then at a time when great crowds thronged the Temple.
In a large facility one can feel very small and ordinary. How encouraging then to have people come up Mary and Joseph to welcome her Child. Actually Anna was herself ordinary in the sense that this is the only chapter in the Bible that we ever hear of her (or Simeon for that matter). I wonder if it reminded Mary of the shepherds who had come to welcome her Child on the night of His birth. Just like them, Anna went her way and "spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem."
Mary, Joseph, the shepherds, Simeon, Anna -- all of these people were ordinary in the eyes of the world, and so are most of us. But all of them saw the fulfillment of God's promises in Jesus Christ, and so have we. And the shepherds, Simeon, Anna, after seeing Jesus, all went on their way rejoicing -- and so can we!
Break forth, O beauteous heavenly light, And usher in the morning!
You shepherds, shrink not with affright But hear the angel’s tiding:
This child, now weak in infancy, Our confidence and joy shall be,
The power of Satan breaking, Our peace eternal making.
