** And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher; she was of a great age…and she was a widow….which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.** Luke 2:36,37
I hope you had a chance to read Ginny McKenzie’s posts on being a widow these past two days. Whenever I read this passage in Luke, I think of her. As a widow, Ginny spends a good portion of her days in prayer. She also spends time and energy hosting visiting missionaries and pastors in her home, teaching women and young girls and participating in the worship service using her musical talent for the Lord.
As you read her comments, it is clear to see that being a widow does not keep her from doing what she can for the Kingdom of God. That isn’t to say that it is not hard for her from day to day. She works at keeping her eyes on the Lord and not on her circumstances. And she is the first one to declare how faithful God has been to her, no matter what her life circumstances have been.
Our passage in Luke, today, speaks of another widow who used her new circumstances to serve God in prayer and testifying to anyone that she could about what God had shown her. Anna is recorded in the Bible as a woman who fasted often, a widow and a prayer warrior. Although her situation is difficult and her story is short, lacking much detail, she is a woman of great value. So much so, that her dedication to the Lord earned her the privilege of seeing the Saviour’s face long before anyone witnessed his miracles or his crucifixion.
Both Ginny and Anna are Women of Grace. They both have been given a difficult calling but have been given great grace to continue on in this life without the men that they held dearest to their hearts.
I cannot imagine being able to stay as strong in my faith and having such peace of heart as these 2 lovely ladies have as widows. But I do know that God’s grace is sufficient for all of us, no matter what difficulties we face each day. His strength is made perfect in weakness and his power is evident in those who lean greatly on Him from day to day.
I am grateful for the example of courage and dedication to the Lord that both Anna and Ginny give me each day. Perhaps you have a modern day Anna in your life. My guess is that she is praying for you. That in her season of widowhood, waiting to be reunited with her loving husband, she is more concerned about your needs than she is her own.
Let’s remember to pray for the ladies in our lives who have said an early goodbye to their spouse, that God will use them as He used Anna, and is using Ginny to touch others with the grace that He gives them every hour.