Giving Thanks in Return

Scripture:

“And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.” (Luke 2:38)

Reading:

When my students thank me at the end of class, it fills my cup. It’s as if they’ve noticed that I, too, am in the room; not just giving but receiving joy in return. Since we are made in God’s image, might our expressions of gratitude bring joy to His heart as well?

We often treat thanksgiving as a response to a dramatic victory or spectacular breakthrough. But if we trace the very first footsteps of thanking God through the Gospels, we discover a humble example.

One of the first records of anyone giving thanks in the Gospel timeline isn’t a powerful leader. It’s an elderly, hidden widow named Anna in Luke 2.

For decades, Anna lived a devoted life of worship, fasting and praying, in the background of the bustling temple. Then, one ordinary day, Mary and Joseph brought their infant Son into the temple. The promised Messiah had arrived, not as a mighty ruler surrounded by earthly power, but as a vulnerable baby in the arms of His parents.

While the “wise” looked right past him, Anna’s child-like heart resonated. She didn’t wait for the baby to grow up or perform miracles. She saw God in a small, ordinary package and she immediately gave thanks and spoke about Jesus to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem (Luke 2:38).

In the original Greek text, the word used for Anna’s gratitude is incredibly rare and beautiful. It’s not a polite, private whisper. And unlike a simple “thank you,” this specific word carries a profound double meaning. It’s both reciprocal and responsive.

Anna’s thank you wasn’t a quiet, passive prayer in a corner. It was a loud, joyful response to God in His presence for His faithfulness! So much so that she could not keep it to herself!

Years later, Jesus would stand before crowds and unpack the sort of thanksgiving that Anna lived out. Jesus prayed,

“I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children.” (Matthew 11:25, Luke 10:21)

Jesus wasn’t condemning wisdom or understanding. He was exposing the pride that can keep us from recognizing God and what He is revealing. But the “children” with humility and holy hunger like Anna had eyes to see.

Perhaps this is where gratitude begins, not with extraordinary blessings, but with an open heart to the Lord. Like Anna, we learn to recognize His presence in the small, ordinary moments others might overlook. Like Jesus, we respond with “Thank You, Father,” which flows like a beacon of hope to the world around us.

Your Turn:

1. Think of a promise God has fulfilled in your life. How can you share that aloud to encourage someone else this week?
2. Where are you relying too much on your own strength? Take a moment to surrender that to the Lord and take on the heart-posture of a child.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, thank You that Your Kingdom is freely given to all people who come to You as children. Please forgive me for the times my pride and self-reliance have blinded me to Your presence. Give me the spiritual eyes of Anna and grace to speak of Your faithfulness out loud. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.