Scripture: Luke 2:36
There was also a prophet, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, who belonged to the tribe of Asher. She was very old. After she married, she lived with her husband for seven years.
Thought for the Day: It’s interesting how Luke’s Gospel is about inclusion in a time when no one was thinking about inclusion. When Mary and Joseph took Jesus for blessing in Jerusalem, they were originally met by Simeon who was described as a righteous man. If the Gospel writer’s only point was to have a confirmation of the unique nature of Jesus, you’d think this one would be enough. But as we move a few verses later, we have a story that acts like a mirror image of the Simeon story except for one key detail. This time it is Anna, and like Simeon, she perceived the special nature of Jesus. Some might want to suggest that the author felt as if one more affirmation needed to be told, but why a woman in a time when a woman’s testimony was unacceptable in court? Luke’s Gospel offers similar stories, one with a man and one with a woman, on numerous occasions. In a time when inclusion was on no one’s radar, it appears as if it was on someone’s radar. Might it be that Luke was trying to communicate an integral point within the Jesus story. Even from the beginning, in a time when women were considered only slightly above property, the Gospel writer makes an unambiguous statement about the resume’ of Jesus that was very counter to the culture of the day. Women were going to play an essential role in this new movement despite what the world might think.
Prayer: For all the Simeons and Annas of this world who provide us insight into the nature of your gift, O Lord, we are thankful. Encourage us to dig deeply into the scriptures to find the vital framework for your reign on the earth. Amen.
