Devotion for Saturday, October 17, 2026

“And there was a prophetess, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years and had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, and then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple, serving night and day with fastings and prayers” (Luke 2:36-37).

There are those whom the Lord calls who are dedicated to His service.  Anna was one of these people.  Living a devoted life of prayer and service, they are often seen as fixtures in the church, but seldom thought of.  We each have a call upon our lives.  We each have a desire to serve.  The question is, whom will we serve?  Anna served the Lord.  Whom do you serve?  Not that everyone must do as Anna did, but this is a good question for each of us to ask ourselves.

Lord, I say that I serve You, but I most often serve myself.  You have given many examples of those who have willingly and lovingly served You.  Help me to learn and understand from their example what it means to serve.  Help me to understand what devotion means and learn how to be devoted to what is good, right and salutary.  Guide me out of the life of one who lives for self, and into a right way of living.

Lord Jesus, You came to serve.  You have served each one of us by granting us grace through the shedding of Your own blood.  Help me now and always to see that in this world of selfishness, no one really gets anywhere; but in You, we have the opportunity to learn how to live life as it is meant to be lived.  Guide me in the upward call You have given me to humbly walk the upward path of salvation You have placed before me.  Amen.