We’ve noticed how this passage speaks of three sets of individuals who are an example of what needs to be true of us if we’re going to be in on what God is doing in our day. We’ve looked at the importance of the Word-filled life, as we considered Joseph and Mary. Then we thought about the importance of the Spirit-filled life, as we looked to Simeon. Now, I want to consider Anna, who is an example of the importance of the Prayer-filled life.
While we’re told less about what Anna said compared to Simeon, we’re given more information on her background. Anna was an Israelite, of the tribe of Asher, one of the ten “lost tribes” of Israel, which were scattered in the Assyrian captivity.
She was married 7 years before her husband died and lived the rest of her life as a widow. She was at least 84 years old, depending on how we understand Luke’s words. It’s possible Luke is saying she had been a widow for 84 years. However we understand the text, it’s clear that Luke is saying that Anna had been a widow for the majority of her life.
Like Mary, Joseph and Simeon, Anna was where she needed to be when she needed to be in order to be in on what God was doing, because hers was a prayer-filled life. Three thoughts:
1. Anna’s prayer life was priority - vs. 36-37a
As a young widow, the natural thing for Anna to have done would be to remarry. She must have had many such opportunities. As a member of the lost tribe of Asher, there must have been a strong incentive to marry and bear children, since this tribe may have been in danger of extinction. Her greatest womanly contribution, as well as her womanly fulfillment, would seem to have been marriage and child-bearing. Nevertheless, she remained single, lived out her life in the temple, occupied with prayer and fasting. Anna likely was a widow as
described by Paul in 1 Timothy 5:1-5:
“Take care of any widow who has no one else to care for her. But if she has children or grandchildren, their first responsibility is to show godliness at home and repay their parents by taking care of them. This is something that pleases God. Now a true widow, a woman who is truly alone in this world, has placed her hope in God. She prays night and day, asking God for his help.” - 1 Timothy 5:1-5 (NIV)
Anna’s prayer life was priority because she recognized the need within her. She had no one else but God, so she looked to no one else but God. But, “when you have no one else but God, you realize that God is enough.” Anna had grown satisfied with God alone to meet her needs, and consequently, made spending time in prayer a priority.
“If we never gained anything from prayer but the communion with God that prayer really is, that should be sufficient to make prayer a constant thing. Imagine the reality when you pray of entering into the very throne room and communing with the living God of the universe. And you have understood some gift so marvelous that if that were all there was to prayer it would be sufficient to draw us to pray constantly.” - John MacArthur
That’s what was true of Anna; that’s what needs to be true of us. We need to settle on the fact that without God we have nothing; but with God, we have everything. And if that is truly the case, then we will make prayer a priority.
As believers we are either centered on ourselves or centered on God. There is no alternative. Either God is the center of our universe and we have become rightly adjusted to Him, or we have made ourselves the center and are attempting to make all else orbit around us and for us.
God was the center of Anna’s universe, consequently spending time with God was something she delighted to do, which enabled her to be sure she would be in one what god was doing.
“Blessed are the single-hearted, for they shall enjoy much peace. If you refuse to be hurried and pressed, if you stay your soul on God, nothing can keep you from that clearness of spirit which is life and peace. In that stillness you know what His will is.” - Amy Carmichael
2. Anna’s prayer life was passionate - v. 37b
What was the source of Anna’s passion in prayer?
We are told that Anna was a prophetess. This means that she, like Simeon, had a burden about the coming of Messiah. No doubt, Anna understood from the Old Testament that the “day of the Lord” was a day of judgment, and that Messiah would come to deal with Israel’s sin. Thus, her prayer and fasting was evidence of her mourning for the sins of Israel and her burden for herself and others. Anna’s prayer life was passionate because she recognized the need around her.
Are you burdened about the sins of society? Then you need to pray. One of the primary reasons we don’t see God moving among us or around us is that we don’t ask Him to.
“And here it is, I say it with sorrow, here it is that men fall short so miserably. Few indeed are to be found who pray: there are many who go down on their knees, and say a form perhaps, but few who pray; few who cry out to God, few who call on the Lord, few who seek as if they wanted to find, few who knock as if they hungered and thirsted, few who wrestle, few who strive with God earnestly for an answer, few who give Him no rest, few who continue in prayer, few who pray always without ceasing and do not grow weak. Yes: few pray! It is just one of the things assumed as a matter of course, but seldom practiced; a thing which is everybody’s business, but in fact hardly anybody performs.” - J.C. Ryle
Anna took her burdens to the Lord. She asked God to act and expected God to act, so when He did, she recognized His working and was
allowed to be in on what He was doing. We need to do the same.
“When a man’s mouth is thus opened, God’s ears are never closed. When the penitent is talking the Savior is listening.” - Graham Scroggie
3. Anna’s prayer life was persistent - v. 37b
Anna’s prayer life was persistent because she recognized the answer above her. Anna knew that the answer to her needs and the needs of those around her was with God, so it was to God she went in prayer, fully believing that He would answer. God does answer prayer!
What motivated Anna to be persistent until she saw God’s answer?
A) Her prayers were directed by the Spirit.
Knowing that God was calling her to pray, assured Anna that God would answer, and that assurance motivated her to persist.
“The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.” - 1 Thessalonians 5:24 (NIV)
When God calls us to pray for something, the call itself assures us that the answer will come if we will persistently answer the call and pray.
“In spiritual things, when God has raised a desire, He always gratifies it; hence the longing is prophetic of the blessing.” - Charles Spurgeon
B) Her prayers were informed by the Scriptures.
Anna knew that her prayers for the repentance and restoration of Israel was consistent with God’s Word. She also knew that the coming of the Messiah would be a day in which things would be set right. Therefore, knowing that her prayers were based on the revelation of the Scriptures, she persisted in prayer, believing God would hear and answer.
“This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us - whatever we ask - we know that we have what we asked of him.” - 1 John 5:14-15 (NIV)
Conclusion: And indeed, God answered Anna’s prayers. In an article appearing in Christianity Today magazine, evangelist, Luis Palau wrote about 5 ways God answers prayer. Sometimes He answers, “No, I love you too much.” But more times than we realize, God
delights in answering our prayers and when He answers “yes,” the answer can come in one of four ways: “Yes, I thought you’d never ask;” “Yes, but you’ll have to wait;” “Yes, but not what you expected;” or “Yes, and here’s more!”
“God will either give you what you ask, or something far better.” - Robert Murray McCheyne
That’s what God did for Anna. She did have to wait, but she made it a priority to persevere in passionate prayer; and not only did God answer in a way she would have never expected, but His answer was far more than she could have ever conceived of, as the Messiah not only came to deliver His people, but the entire world; and she was privileged to see Him when He was brought to the temple that day.
“Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the
redemption of Jerusalem.” - Luke 2:38 (NIV)
Because of her prayer-filled life, Anna was right where she needed to be at the time she needed to be to be in on what God was doing!
