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anglican devotional

The Daily Fountain Devotional of the Church Of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) 23 December 2025 – Serving The Lord Unto Old Age

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TOPIC: Serving The Lord Unto Old Age

READ: Luke 2:36-40 (NKJV)

  1. Now there was one, Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, and had lived with a husband seven years from her virginity;
  2. and this woman [was] a widow of about eighty-four years, who did not depart from the temple, but served [God] with fastings and prayers night and day.
  3. And coming in that instant she gave thanks to the Lord, and spoke of Him to all those who looked for redemption in Jerusalem.
  4. So when they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their [own] city, Nazareth.
  5. And the Child grew and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him.

THE MESSAGE:

We all pray to live long on earth. The Bible promises to grant the enjoyment of long life to those who honour their parents (Deuteronomy 5:16 cf Ephesians 6:2-3). The Lord also promises His continued love and never-ceasing care for the elderly when He says, “Even to your old age, I am He, And even to gray hairs I will carry you! I have made, and I will bear; Even I will carry, and will deliver you” (Isaiah 46:4). We can see Anna hold on to this promise of being sustained by the Lord at old age, to serve Him.

The grace of God was truly upon her, true to her name ‘Anna’ which means ‘grace.’ Her age has been variously reckoned from 84 to 105 years since she had been married for seven years, following which she had been a widow, either for 84 years or until her eighty-fourth year. Notice that even at very old age, she did not depart from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day (verse 37). Let us pray the Father to bestow this same grace that was upon Anna on the aged ones today. It is not good that at retirement age, we become unproductive, especially in God’s service. Grace makes the difference at old age, for we can still stay fresh and green.

PRAYER: Father, grant that the aged ones “…will still bear fruit in old age…stay fresh and green” (Psalm 92:14), in Jesus’ name, Amen!

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