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The Women of Christmas in Luke: Mary, Elizabeth, and Anna
- Modern Day Ruth
- 22 hours ago
- 6 min read
When we think about the Christmas story, we often picture shepherds, angels, and a manger. But if you sit with the Gospel of Luke for a while, you notice something beautiful: God weaves this story through the lives of three women—Mary, Elizabeth, and Anna.
These women don’t just decorate the story; they carry it. Their faith, courage, and long obedience speak right into our own messy, modern Decembers.
Let’s sit with them for a bit.
Who Are the Women of Christmas in Luke?
When we talk about the women of Christmas in Luke, we’re looking at three very real women in very different seasons of life:
Mary, a young woman whose whole world is disrupted by God’s call.
Elizabeth, an older woman who has waited a long time in disappointment and silence.
Anna, a widow who has spent years in the quiet place of worship and prayer.
The Gospel of Luke doesn’t treat these women as background characters. Instead, the women of Christmas in Luke stand at the center of God’s redemption story, showing us what it looks like to trust Him in disruption, waiting, and hidden years.
Mary: Courage in the Middle of Disruption
Mary’s story in Luke begins with disruption.
A young woman, engaged but not yet married, minding her own business—and suddenly confronted by an angel with an impossible announcement (Luke 1:26–38). She will carry the Son of God. Her life, reputation, and plans will never be the same.
Mary’s response is breathtaking in its simplicity:
“Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” (Luke 1:38)
She doesn’t have all the answers.
She doesn’t get a five-step plan.
She just knows who God is—and chooses trust.
Later, Luke tells us Mary “treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart” (Luke 2:19). She didn’t rush past what God was doing. She held it close, turned it over, and let it shape her from the inside out.
Where this meets us
Maybe your Christmas isn’t tidy this year. Maybe there’s a diagnosis, a broken relationship, financial stress, or a quiet ache you haven’t put into words.
Mary reminds us that faith isn’t pretending life is neat. Faith is saying:
“Lord, I don’t understand this, but I’m Yours. Let it be to me according to Your word.”
A simple heart check:
Where is God inviting me to say “yes” even though I don’t see the whole picture?
Am I making any space to “ponder in my heart,” or am I rushing from task to task?
Elizabeth: Quiet Faith in a Long Season of Waiting
Elizabeth enters Luke’s story with a long history of disappointment.
She and her husband Zechariah are described as “righteous before God” (Luke 1:6), yet they live with the pain of infertility and the sting of other people’s assumptions. In that culture, childlessness often came with shame.
Then, in her later years—when it looks too late—God answers. She conceives John the Baptist, the one who will prepare the way for Jesus.
Elizabeth’s response is so tender:
“Thus the Lord has done for me… to take away my reproach among people.” (Luke 1:25)
When Mary comes to visit, Elizabeth is filled with the Holy Spirit and blesses her younger cousin, calling her “blessed… because she believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord” (Luke 1:45).
Elizabeth could have been bitter:
“Why did God make me wait so long?”
“Why does Mary get this honor?”
Instead, she celebrates. She uses her voice to affirm Mary’s faith and God’s faithfulness.
Where this meets us
Maybe you’re in a long waiting season.
You’ve prayed for years.
You’ve watched other people’s prayers get answered.
You’ve smiled and said, “I’m happy for you,” while wondering, “Lord… did You forget me?”
Elizabeth reminds us:
God’s delays are not His forgetfulness.
Your story is not over because you can’t see the ending yet.
You can be both honest about your pain and open to joy when it finally arrives.
She also gives us a picture of older women blessing younger women—calling out faith, speaking life, and reminding them of God’s promises. That’s discipleship in real time.
Anna: Faithful Presence in the Hidden Years
Anna only gets three verses in Luke (Luke 2:36–38), but her life is full.
She’s a widow, advanced in years, who has spent decades in the temple:
“She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day.” (Luke 2:37)
When Mary and Joseph bring baby Jesus into the temple, Anna recognizes what God is doing. She gives thanks and begins speaking of Him “to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem” (Luke 2:38).
Her ministry is quiet, steady, and mostly unseen—until that one moment when God lets her see the Messiah with her own eyes.
Where this meets us
Anna is a gift to:
Those who feel hidden.
Widows and single women.
Anyone who wonders if their quiet faithfulness matters.
She shows us that showing up—to pray, worship, serve, and seek God—matters more than platform, title, or recognition. God sees the prayers prayed in the “back row” and the tears no one else notices.
Anna reminds us: it’s never too late to be used by God. As long as you have breath, you have purpose.
What These Women Hold in Common
Mary, Elizabeth, and Anna are in different seasons of life:
A young woman at the start of her story.
An older woman who has carried decades of disappointment.
A widow who has walked many lonely years with God.
But they share some beautiful things:
They make room for Jesus.
Mary makes room in her very body.
Elizabeth makes room in her home and heart for Mary, and for the miracle God gave her.
Anna makes room in her days—showing up to pray and worship, long before she sees Jesus.
They root themselves in God’s promises.
Mary’s song (Luke 1:46–55) is soaked with Scripture.
Elizabeth’s blessing over Mary is full of faith.
Anna’s life of worship flows from deep trust in God’s plan of redemption.
They use their voices to bless.
Mary sings.
Elizabeth blesses and affirms.
Anna proclaims the good news to all who are waiting.
They show that God sees women at every age and in every season.
The Christmas story is not just about kings, priests, and shepherds. It is also about women whose names God inscribed into His Word forever. The women of Christmas in Luke remind us that God delights to work through women the world might overlook.
Learning from the Women of Christmas Today
So what do we do with all of this in our own lives?
Here are a few simple invitations inspired by the women of Christmas in Luke:
1. Say a fresh “yes” to God, like Mary
You don’t have to understand everything to trust Him.
“Lord, I don’t see the whole story, but I am Your servant. Help me say yes to what You’re asking of me today.”
2. Bless another woman, like Elizabeth
Ask God: Who can I encourage today?
Send a text or voice note.
Pray with a younger woman.
Tell someone, “I see your faith. I see how you’re holding on to Jesus.”
Sometimes the greatest gift we give is our affirmation that God is at work, even when they can’t see it.
3. Keep showing up, like Anna
Maybe your prayer life feels small.
Maybe your church involvement feels unnoticed.
Maybe your service feels hidden.
God notices.
Keep opening your Bible.
Keep coming before Him, even when you’re tired.
Keep praying for the people you love.
Hidden faithfulness is never wasted with God.
A Simple Prayer
Father, thank You for Mary, Elizabeth, and Anna—women whose stories You preserved so we would know You see us in every season. Help me say “yes” like Mary, wait with trust like Elizabeth, and show up with faithfulness like Anna.Make room in my heart this Christmas for Jesus, again and again. Amen.
Keep Walking This Journey with Me
If this reflection encouraged you and you’d like more ways to center your heart on Jesus:
Explore my books, including JOY, the first in The Encouragement Series, at
👉 /booksruthhovsepian and /joy
Walk through the Christmas season with my 25-day devotional Prepare Him Room:👉 /preparehimroom25devotionals
Listen to my podcast conversations on real faith and real life:
👉 /podcast
If you’d like me to speak at your church, retreat, or women’s event:
Want to reach out, share your story, or ask a question?
👉 /contact
You are not walking through this season alone. 💛
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