Anna: name meaning 'grace.' 

Luke 2:36-38: There was also a prophet, Anna, the daughter of Penuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. 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.

There’s a familiar phrase that we all know: ‘quality not quantity.’ That sums up this passage. It is but four sentences in the bible, a very brief glimpse into someone’s life and after a few words it’s gone again. But this passage of scripture isn’t there without reason because God can waste nothing and nothing in the bible is in there by chance. It tells a message of hope.

Who was Anna? 

The passage tells us that Anna was very old and that she’d lived with her husband for seven years. She was a widow; she got the luxury of being in love and then he died after a very short time together. The bible says that she never left the temple. Put yourself in Anna’s shoes for a second: she was married for only seven years and he passed away, the one she loved and had committed her life to had gone. The beautiful thing about this scripture is that it says she never left the temple. She never stopped listening to God’s voice and spending time praising him for the redemption of Jerusalem, Jesus.

Anna never stopped worshiping God

The bible says she worshiped day and night, she prayed and she fasted. It doesn’t say she gave up on God; it doesn’t say she went through deep sorrow and forgot her Heavenly Father – it says she never stopped worshiping Him. What a story of hope. It’s so encouraging that when we go through death, mourning, or a ‘valley’, we can trust in God that He will be faithful and send us hope again.

Anna prophesied, telling people about Jesus

In the shadow of what she’d been through she still prophesied and told people about Jesus. Whatever you’re going through or whatever you’ve been through, know that Jesus is with you - be comforted and worship even when you don’t feel like it. Rest easy and know that Jesus is very much with you. Anna never left the temple, she didn’t give up on God because He never gave up on her and the same goes for you. He will never leave you or give up on you.

Anna's story speaks of God's grace 

The name Anna means ‘grace’. Everything in the bible leads to Jesus and I believe this story is one about the grace of God. What Anna went through would have been so hard but she spoke about a healer of hearts and forgiver of sins; she pointed people to Jesus. Whatever you go through in life let the pattern be Jesus. Know that by the grace of God you’re exactly where He needs you to be and worship Him, thank Him for what you’ve experienced and point people to Him. Even if you’re in a valley, see the hope that’s to come.