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Luke 2:36-38

“And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived with her husband seven years from when she was a virgin, and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day. And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.” 

In this passage we learn about a lady named Anna. As a young widow she could have remarried and had children, but instead she was called to something different — Something that might not have made sense to the people around her. Anna surrendered her life to a higher calling. Scripture tells us she served God in the temple “worshipping with fasting and prayer night and day.” Anna could have done what other women in her situation would do and no one would’ve batted an eye, but instead she said yes to God and took a different path. After decades of faithfulness she got to see the One she’d been waiting for: The long awaited Messiah, the Savior of the world — Jesus.

As followers of Christ and as a people filled with the Holy Spirit, it should be our great joy to serve others. Christ came not to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many. Serving is a natural outpouring of the tremendous sacrifice Christ made for us. In this busy world we live in I think we fill our calendars with everything else and then we struggle to find the time to serve the body of Christ.

Can I challenge you to ask the Lord where He would have you serve, and be intentional about making space for that call. Maybe you have to say no to a good thing so you can say yes to a God thing.

I promise the sacrifice will be worth it.

He’s worth it.

His people are worth it. 

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