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Anna
ANNA.
“ Some times
the sun seems to hang for half an hour in the horizon
only just to show how
glorious it can be. The day is gone
the fervour of the shining is over
and
the sun hangs golden—nay
redder than gold—in the west
making everything look
unspeakably beautiful with the rich effulgence which it sheds on every side. So
God seems to let some people
when their duty in this world is done
hang in
the west
that may look on them
and see how beautiful they are.” Such was the
aged Anna.
Ⅰ. Anna was a prophetess ( Luke 2:36). As a prophet was one who received messages from God
through being in immediate communication with Him
so a prophetess was the
same. Dr. Bullinger says
“ The usage of the word is clear
it signifies one on
whom the Spirit of God rested ( Nun. 11:17
25
26
29); one to whom
God makes known His mysteries ( Amos 3:7
8). Hence it means one to
whom God reveals His truth
and through whom He speaks” ( Gen.20:7
17
18).
Ⅱ. Anna was a servant of God ( verse 37). It It said of
her that she “ served God.” What better epitaph could one have
than a
testimony of having served the Lord?
“Ye serve the Lord Christ” (Col.3:24)was
the apostle’s word to the Christian slaves at Colosse as he urged them to do
their menial tasks as unto the Lord Himself. A carpenter was once asked why he
troubled to finish off a magistrate’s bench so carefully. His reply was
“ I
can’t do otherwise; besides
I may have to sit on it one of these days.” A
better reply was given by the little servant girl when she was asked why she
took such pains in washing the doorstep
“ I am doing it for the Lord Jesus.”
Ah! Of anything be done for
and as to Him it will be done well.
Ⅲ. Anna was self-denying. It is said she fasted
(verse 37). Anna did not fast
as some do
to obtain favour with God. But
knowing the grace of the Lord
she was willing to deny herself food that she
might serve the Lord better.
Ⅳ. Anna was prayerful (verse 37). Her prayers
ascended to God “ night and day.” She was incessant in her pleading
and
attentive in her attendance at the means of grace. An old writer says. “Pray
each morhing before we go out on life’s pathway
we shall unlock the mercies
God has for us; and if we look to Him at the close of the day
we shall know
that we are locked in with God from all harm and evil
as Noah was when the
Lord shut him in the ark.
Ⅴ. Anna was thankful. Simeon was not alone in
his thanks giving
for Anna “gave thanks likewise unto the Lord” ( verse 38). Praise is comely to the Lord. Those who bless God
with their praises are sure to be blessed by God with His mercies. A thankful
man is full of blessing. To be thankless is to be graceless
but to be thankful
is to be graceful.
Ⅵ. Anna was a true witness. “ She spake of Him” (verse
38). Her testimony of Christ as the Redeemer
is implied in that she “ spake of
Him to all that looked for redemption in Jerusalem.” A true witness always
tells out what Christ is
what He has done
and what He is able to do
as known
from personal experience.
──
F.E. Marsh《Five Hundred Bible Readings》