Malcolm Cox

Introduction Studying Anna for a sermon led me to some unexpected insights about her devotional life. It inspired me to put a multi-episode series together. The Text “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.” (Luke 2:36–38 NIV11) What do we learn about Anna’s relationship with God? Her disciplined devotion to God enabled her to recognise when He was a work. Notice that Anna approaches Jesus and his parents. They are not presented to her. She goes to them. Simeon had been told to expect something special, “It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. Moved