Knowing The Word in Luke 2:36-38, Anna the Prophetess

The prophetess, Anna, like Simeon, is another humble servant. They are the kind of people God uses for his purposes. God reveals his secret purposes in history to unpretentious servants who are the opposite of King Herod.

36 And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived with her husband seven years from when she was a virgin, 37 and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day. 38 And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.

Prayer: O Father, give us the humility which

Realizes its ignorance,

Admits its mistakes,

Recognizes its need,

Welcomes advice,

Accepts rebuke.

Help us always

To praise rather than to criticize,

To sympathize rather than to condemn.

To encourage rather than discourage,

To build rather than to destroy,

And to think of people at their best rather than at their worst.

This we ask for thy name’s sake. Amen. (William Barclay)