Day 28 — Anna Never Stopped

“There was also a prophetess named Anna… She had been married for seven years, and then was a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple, but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. Coming forward at that moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the Child to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.”

— Luke 2:36–38 (BSB)

When Mary and Joseph brought baby Jesus to the temple, an old woman named Anna was there.

Anna had had a hard life. She had been married for only seven years when her husband died. Then she lived as a widow for many, many years. By this time, she was at least eighty-four years old.

Anna could have become bitter. She could have given up. But instead, she spent her life drawing close to God. “She never left the temple, but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying.”

For decades, Anna faithfully prayed and worshiped. She waited for God to send the Savior He had promised. Year after year, she kept going. She never stopped.

And then one day, God rewarded her faithfulness. She saw the baby Jesus! Anna knew right away who He was. She “gave thanks to God and spoke about the Child to all who were waiting.”

Even at eighty-four, Anna was still serving God. She was still praying. She was still telling people about Jesus. She finished well.

That’s the kind of woman God wants you to become: a woman who keeps following Him her whole life. Not just for a few exciting years, but always, through hard times and good times, all the way to old age.

It’s easy to start well. Lots of people are excited about God when they’re young. But the women who really make a difference are the ones who keep going, day after day, year after year, like Anna.

How do you become a woman like Anna? By building habits now. The girl who prays and reads her Bible a little every day becomes the woman who walks with God for a lifetime. Every day you choose to follow Jesus is a step toward finishing well.

Think about it: Who is an older woman you know who has followed God her whole life? What can you learn from her?

Try this: Ask an older Christian woman, “What has helped you keep following God for so long?” Write down her answer.

Dear God, thank You for Anna, who never stopped worshiping and praying. Help me follow You my whole life, through good times and hard times. Help me build habits now that will help me finish well. In Jesus’ name, Amen.