God has called me Anna

 Some years ago, I walked into a women's Bible study meeting, and the guest speaker stopped and looked at me and said, "God calls you Anna."  I was truly shocked by this, so when I went home I looked up the story of Anna in my Bible.

"And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, tribe of Asher.  She was advanced in years, having lived with a husband seven years after her marriage and then as a widow to the age of 84.  And she never left the temple, serving night and day with fastings and prayers.  And at that very moment she came up and began giving thanks to God and continued to speak of Him to all those who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem."  Luke 2:36-38

I am NOT a prophetess by any stretch of the imagination.  I did look up the meaning of her name, which is from the Hebrew Channah, which means "favored."  I certainly do not feel as though I am favored, in the sense of special, in any way either.  But it has stuck with me through the years as a very special moment.  Adding to the special meaning of the name to me, my son named his first child "Anna," without any knowledge of that incident in my life.

However, as I was recently reminded of that evening and the name, I once again looked up the name in my dictionary and I found that the name is based on the Hebrew word chanan, which means "Properly, to bend or stoop in kindness to an inferior."  And as I think of it, that is so apt!  

My very first memory of my life was standing in a church foyer as my dad was talking to the pastor.  And I looked up and saw a picture (the traditional image we older folks grew up with) of Jesus.  And I remember, it was such a magical moment.  And as I think of it, it is almost as though in that moment, Jesus kneeled down to me to let me know that He knew me, to reveal Himself to me.

That has been such a theme throughout my life.  I am no one of any consequence.  My accomplishments are few if any in this life, yet God the Father, the Son, and the Spirit have continued throughout my life to come along side me and to gently, kindly encourage me, revealing Themselves to me through the Word of God, through the loving people They have brought into my life, through circumstances and experiences that have been so blessed far beyond anything I could have imagined.  And I might add, all of this despite my constant battles with depression and failure.

Do you know, I cannot imagine a more loving, encouraging, and tenderhearted God that the One who has revealed Himself to me time and time again, Who made the most unimaginable sacrifice to make that possible, and Who continues to love me despite who and what I am.  

Thank You Father God!  Thank You Lord Jesus Christ!  Thank You Holy Spirit!