Dear Anna,
Melancholy, a widow more than half your life,
I am sorry for your loss, for all those unseen tears,
I am sure you wanted more than just seven years,
of being married, being called someone’s wife,
But you stood up strong, fought all your fears,
Shielded yourself from all the worldly spears
A fragrant life you lived,
Your grey hair, an honour,
Devoted to serve God,
in the temple—an obscure corner,
A prophetess, a zealous missionary,
You spoke of the Lord with ardor,
An inspirational worshipper, a warrior,
As you aged, you got stronger
Although the mention of you is short,
Your life taught me a lot,
Thank you for showing me that a loss has no strength to cripple,
And in the ocean called life, loneliness is just a ripple,
You taught me to step out and witness,
God’s love and His forgiveness,
And despite the callouses on your knees,
to continually pray never cease,
Wish, I could be more like you,
To just rest in God’s hands,
Like on a leaf, the morning dew
Love,
The Desolate Woman
Anna—the first female missionary in the Bible. With only three verses that speak of her, she is one of the lesser-known characters in the Bible. You can read up on her in Luke 2:36-38. Her story is quite sad for the reader. She was married, but she could only enjoy life with her husband for seven years, then she got widowed. And till the age of 84, she never left the temple; she worshipped there day and night, in fasting and prayer.
One word that stood out for me when I read the passage is ‘endurance’. Anna endured the challenges that life had thrown at her. She could have gotten married after her husband passed away but she desired something bigger. She committed her life to serving God. And, the important part is that she stayed committed. The word ‘Commitment’ is often seen with fear. Commitment requires consistency. It is hard but not impossible. Anna thrived while staying committed to serving God. She could have shut out people after her husband’s demise, and she might have for a brief period. But she got up stronger. And she kept at it. Oftentimes, we are super enthusiastic to start something but keeping at it through seasons of troubles and negativity becomes really difficult. God wants us to keep running towards Him—no turning back, no looking sideways, but looking at Him alone. Only this, would help us walk on waters. The thought of losing our partner is so daunting. I cannot imagine the pain Anna went through. It could have made her bitter and also drift away from God. Nonetheless, her story is the kind that speaks of resilience and strength.
Another bit of her story that fascinated me was that she boldly shared what she learned and received from God. In Luke 2:38, when Anna learned about the Messiah, she not only gave thanks to God but also spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem. It is one thing that most of us know a lot and another, to share it. Having said that, it is important to share with the ones who are interested—Anna spoke to the ones who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem. She stood as an example to many women at a time when there were no female missionaries. She may have had only seven years with her husband and three verses in the Bible but she is one of the strongest believers in the Bible—the one who endured through every storm, every pain. Don’t stop, stay put, and keep your eyes on Jesus.