The Not-So-Silent Faith of Anna

The Christian life is often characterized by waiting - waiting for God's promises to be fulfilled, waiting for Christ's return, waiting for ultimate redemption. But what does it mean to wait well? Through the remarkable story of Anna in Luke 2, we discover a woman who spent 60 years faithfully serving in the temple, anticipating the coming Messiah. At 84 years old, when she finally encountered the infant Jesus, her life exemplified three crucial principles for faithful waiting: serving God faithfully, worshiping God continually, and speaking of Christ confidently. Anna's tragedy - losing her husband after only seven years of marriage - didn't define her. Instead, she channeled her devotion into constant prayer, fasting, and temple worship. When the Messiah arrived as a vulnerable baby, she recognized Him through eyes of faith and immediately became His witness. Her example challenges us to consider how we're living in the 'already but not yet' of our faith journey. Are we serving faithfully with whatever resources we have - even if it's just 57 cents like little Hattie May? Are we worshiping consistently even when we can't see the full picture? Are we boldly sharing our stories of what Christ has done? The waiting isn't wasted time - it's the very process God uses to shape us into faithful servants, devoted worshipers, and confident witnesses.