Now there was one, Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age and had lived with a husband seven years from her virginity; and this woman was a widow of about eighty-four years, who did not depart from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. And coming in that instant she gave thanks to the Lord and spoke of Him to all those who looked for redemption in Jerusalem.  Luke 2:36-38

It is interesting how our perspective changes as our lives progress.  If I could go back to my 16-year-old self and ask her who in the Bible she most admired or would aspire to be like, Anna would not have been top on her list.  In fact, my 30-year-old self would have to dig deep into my memory bank to even be able to tell you who Anna was.  But now my 62-year-old self looks at Anna with new eyes, with new admiration, and with a desire to be an Anna.

Just think of it: 84 years old, or 84 years a widow depending on how you look at it, and her entire devotion is directed towards God.  If you lived during her time and wanted to talk to her, you knew where to find her.  She’d be at the temple in the Court of Women.  You knew what she would be doing.  She’d be fasting and praying in service to God.  As a prophetess, she would also be teaching others about God, His Law and the redemption of His people.

How was Anna rewarded for her devotion?  She was blessed to be in the presence of her Lord and Savior when He was just a month old.  She was right there in the temple when Mary and Joseph brought baby Jesus to the temple to fulfill the purification and redemption requirements. God gave her the insight to know that this baby was not just an ordinary baby, one of the many who were there for the same reason.  Anna recognized Mary and Joseph’s baby as the one who would redeem Jerusalem.  What an honor!

I find myself in Anna’s shoes now.  While most of the changes in my life over the past few months have been challenging, I’m finding that I have more time to devote to God.  I find myself engaging in a 24/7 conversation with God.  He talks to me through His word, I talk to Him in prayers literally night and day.   What a blessing!

While there are many people for us to look up to and to aspire to be like in the Bible, on this day, at this time, in my current circumstances, I want to be an Anna. To grow closer to God every day and to share my love for Him with others.   Who in the Bible do you aspire to be like? Why?