By Lisa Wilmore
My Dear Friends,
I greet you in the only Name that matters-that Name is Jesus, our Everlasting, Eternal and Endless Savior.
What does it truly mean to serve God with complete devotion? The life of Anna the prophetess, recorded in the Gospel of Luke, provides a beautiful and powerful example of unwavering commitment to the Lord. Luke wrote: “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” (Luke 2:36–37).
Anna’s biblical account is a quiet yet profound dedication to unwavering devotion to our God. After losing her husband early in life, she chose a path not of hopelessness, but of continual service to God. Her life became a living sacrifice which was marked by worship, fasting, and prayer. She did not waver in her faith but remained in the temple, seeking God’s presence daily.
Interestingly, this kind of devotion is not unique to Anna. Throughout Scripture, we find others who exemplified total commitment to God’s call. For instance, the Apostle Paul. After Paul’s dramatic conversion, he devoted the rest of his life to spreading the gospel. He penned in Romans, “It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known, so that I would not be building on someone else’s foundation” (Romans 15:20 NIV). Paul’s passion and purpose were clear. His life became a mission to reach the unreached. His devotion mirrored that of Anna’s yet expressed itself in a different form.
Anna, of course, was rewarded for her faithfulness. When Mary and Joseph brought Jesus to the temple to fulfill the requirements of the Law, Anna was there. Luke records: “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 2:38 NIV). She instantly recognized the child as the promised Messiah. Because of her devotion, she was among the first to witness the Savior with her own eyes and to proclaim the hope of redemption.
Anna’s life teaches us that true devotion to God does not require a title, platform, or recognition. But it does require a willing heart and a life of faithful worship. Whether through public ministry like Paul or private devotion like Anna, God honors those who seek Him wholeheartedly. A “life of unwavering devotion” is essential.
