Day #356 - Hidden Heroes

The Presence - A Devotional for living in Thanksgiving, Worship and Wonder

“There was also a prophet, Anna, the daughter of Penuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.” ‭Luke‬ ‭2:36-38‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Photo by Naassom Azevedo on Unsplash

Do you have any hidden heroes in your life?

You know, people you look up to that could go unnoticed but make a huge impact all around them. I’m talking about the type of people that don’t carry titles or earthly fame but they know how to move heaven and earth in prayer. Monel Benson and Norma Bass are two women that devoted much of their lives to prayer in our church when I was growing up. They carried “the Presence” and boy could they pray. If you were in trouble you wanted them to pray for you and if you were causing trouble you wanted to stay away because they also carried the fear of the Lord.

When baby Jesus came to the temple for his dedication to the Lord, there was another older saint, a widow named Anna, who had waited for the Messiah to be born. She spent her years at the temple in prayer, worship and fasting. Her life exemplified that to waste your life on the Lord is not a waste at all.

Anna’s life found significance around “the Presence” of Jesus. Prayer is simple enough to do but we can be so preoccupied with other things in life. People often want to be important but it is actually a life of prayer and ministry to the Lord with Jesus at the center that creates an eternal impact. It’s simple to be a person of “the Presence.” It comes down to prioritizing ministering to our Lord above anything else. Out of her prayer life she proclaims who Jesus is to all who will hear. Those who are most in love become the greatest preachers. The hidden commitment of love and devotion to Jesus spills out into a public love.

Thank God for the fiery widows like Anna. We are blessed to have several in our church. Through the ages many widows, monks and contemplative souls became examples for us about what is possible when one centers their life around ministry to the Lord. The greatest gift we can give our Lord as believers is our time and attention in adoration that flows by His grace into obedience.

Lord Jesus, be the center of my life. My meaning is found in You. I so easily can stray from the simplicity of prayer and worship. I want my life to be full of adoration and devotion. I want everyone to know of my love for You. In Your holy name, amen.