Life Unexpected
“There was also a prophet, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, having lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshipped there with fasting and prayer night and day. At that moment she came, and began to praise God and to speak about the child to all who were looking for redemption of Jerusalem.”
- Luke 2:36-38
What do you do when the circumstances of your life don’t line up the way you thought they would? This happens all the time. People look at where they are in light of where they want to be and they struggle. They get frustrated, saying to themselves, “life wasn’t supposed to be like this.”
This was the case with Anna, a Biblical character many have never even heard of. We rush by the details of her life and story, and proceed to the parts of the birth story that we find most important. However, her life is so messed up that she is ignored and forgotten in one of the most important narratives in the Word of God. Anna came from an insignificant family, an insignificant tribe, was old in age, and was a widow with no children. From a societal perspective her life had been unproductive.
Yet in spite of all of this, when Jesus went to the temple, Luke 36 says, “Also there (that is in the temple, in the presence of God) is a prophet named Anna.” This shows that Anna handled her life situation by staying in the presence of God. This begs the question: when your life is not what you expected it to be, or maybe if your life is not productive from a societal perspective, do you still turn to God in these times?
No matter where you are in life, regardless of whether you expected to be here or not, God knew you would be exactly where you are right now. Nothing surprises Him. Do not be discouraged my friend. God still has a great plan for your life, and He wants to use you for a special purpose. The plan God has for you, only YOU can fulfill. It is not too late for you! The question is, will you turn to God? Will you stay in His presence no matter where life takes you? If you will, God will fulfill a purpose uniquely designed for you to fulfill. Your life is not insignificant to God. Trust Him, and allow Him to show you just how special He can make your life!
- Luke 2:36-38
What do you do when the circumstances of your life don’t line up the way you thought they would? This happens all the time. People look at where they are in light of where they want to be and they struggle. They get frustrated, saying to themselves, “life wasn’t supposed to be like this.”
This was the case with Anna, a Biblical character many have never even heard of. We rush by the details of her life and story, and proceed to the parts of the birth story that we find most important. However, her life is so messed up that she is ignored and forgotten in one of the most important narratives in the Word of God. Anna came from an insignificant family, an insignificant tribe, was old in age, and was a widow with no children. From a societal perspective her life had been unproductive.
Yet in spite of all of this, when Jesus went to the temple, Luke 36 says, “Also there (that is in the temple, in the presence of God) is a prophet named Anna.” This shows that Anna handled her life situation by staying in the presence of God. This begs the question: when your life is not what you expected it to be, or maybe if your life is not productive from a societal perspective, do you still turn to God in these times?
No matter where you are in life, regardless of whether you expected to be here or not, God knew you would be exactly where you are right now. Nothing surprises Him. Do not be discouraged my friend. God still has a great plan for your life, and He wants to use you for a special purpose. The plan God has for you, only YOU can fulfill. It is not too late for you! The question is, will you turn to God? Will you stay in His presence no matter where life takes you? If you will, God will fulfill a purpose uniquely designed for you to fulfill. Your life is not insignificant to God. Trust Him, and allow Him to show you just how special He can make your life!
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