“Do you ever go to Anna’s Antiques over on Thornston Street?” Stan asked me one morning while we waited for breakfast.
“Anna’s Antiques?” I replied. “I don’t think so. I’m not sure I’ve ever heard of it. Why do you ask?”
“Anna’s a neighbor,” Stan said. “She opened a small antique shop a few months ago. She has some great items, mostly things she inherited from her family. She has a small house and doesn’t have room for it so she’s making it available to other people.”
“I like antique stores,” I commented. “Maybe I’ll stop by and see what she has.”
“You’ll like Anna,” Stan replied. “Not only does she have some great antiques for sale at reasonable prices, she loves to talk about Jesus. Just like another Anna.”
“What other Anna?” I asked.
“The one Luke mentions in his gospel,” Stan replied. “Seems to me that’s the way we’re all supposed to be.”
“I’m not sure I’m familiar with her,” I said.
“Let me give you a quick summary,” Stan responded. “There was a woman named Anna. She was an older widow who spent all of her time in the temple in Jerusalem. She was there when Joseph and Mary brought Jesus to be presented in the temple. She saw Jesus, she heard and believed what a man named Simeon was saying about Jesus being the Christ, and she told everyone about Jesus.”
“Oh,” I said, “she told everyone about Jesus. Is that what we’re supposed to do?”
“It sure looks like it to me,” Stan replied. “Find out about Jesus, believe in Him, and tell everyone else so they will know! If we don’t tell them, who will?”
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Bible verses to consider:
And at that very moment she (Anna) came up and began giving thanks to God, and continued to speak of Him (Jesus) to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem. Luke 2:38.
And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.” Mark 16:15.
Whoever will call upon the name of the Lord will be saved. How then shall they call upon Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring glad tidings of good things!” Romans 10:13-15.
Prayer: Thank you, Father, for giving your only begotten Son so that all who believe will spend eternity in your presence when it’s time. Thank you for those who brought me to the truth of your free and gracious provision so I could accept it. Those people told me about Jesus so I could believe. I confess that too often I don’t tell others about Jesus so they, too, can believe and know they will be with you throughout eternity. Please forgive me for not telling them. Help me follow every step of your lead so I do, in fact, tell everyone about Jesus, just as you intend. Thank you that I can and do bring these prayers before you in His precious name. Amen.
Think on this: Has anyone told you about Jesus? If yes, have you accepted God’s free and gracious provision of what Jesus accomplished on the cross? If you have not heard, do you know how to find out? If you have heard but you have not accepted the truth, why is that? Why would you want to remain separated from God for all of eternity, beginning with the time you have remaining here? If you are a Christian with the assurance of salvation and redemption, how are you doing with following the example of Anna, the example of telling everyone about Jesus so they will know? If you sense the need for change in that, how is that change going to happen? Is that what you want? Why or why not?
Waiting for the Train 