“Anna, a prophet, was also there in the temple. She was now eighty-four years old. She never left the Temple but stayed there day and night, worshiping God with fasting and prayer.” Luke 2:36a, 37 NLT
How impatient we have become in today’s society! If there is something to be had, we want it instantly. The fast food lane is never fast enough, and e-mail and tweets have replaced “snail” mail. Soon we will be expecting drones to expedite same-day delivery by giving us same-hour arrival. Most of us could never relate to our grandparents’ or great-grandparents’ time-consuming tasks of sowing, nurturing, and harvesting food for our tables while we have it instantly displayed in the local markets. Ironically, we continue to pursue time-saving measures, and yet, we never seem to have time to spare.
One of the first tricks my dog learned was to leave his treat alone until I granted him permission to consume it. As much as I could see he wanted that delicious little morsel, he would lie on the ground motionless until he heard my cue. Then, with glee and satisfaction, he would gobble up his reward. Anna, in contrast to us, had plenty of time. She worked many years at growing her trust, waiting diligently on God’s blessing. Finally, God rewarded her patience by allowing her to meet the Messiah face to face.
Prepare me, Master, with the quiet gift of patience so that I too can continue to see with glee the blessings You wish to bestow upon me.
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