For the next 16 days, I will be sharing our 2015 Advent Devotionals, written by Diana Barker. Today's posting starts with this verse; “Answer me when I call to you, O my righteous God. Give me relief from my distress; be merciful to me and hear my prayer.’” Psalm 4:1
Zechariah was a priest in the service of the Temple of Jerusalem during the time of Herod king of Judea. He was a cautious man chosen by Lot to enter the sanctuary and offer incense at the daily worship in the Temple. Zechariah was married to strong minded Elizabeth.
Luke 1:6, 7 states, “Both of them were upright in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commandments and regulations blamelessly. But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren; and they were both well along in years.” When Zechariah went to burn incense at the altar, an angel of the Lord appeared startling and gripping him with fear. Luke 1:13, 15, 18, 19 reveal, “But the angel said to him: ‘Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John . . . for he will be great in the sight of the Lord’ . . . Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.’ The angel answered, I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news.’”
If you feel something God promises is impossible as Zechariah thought, remember what God has done in the past. God always keeps his promises and delivers when he knows it’s the right time. Zechariah was made speechless and couldn’t communicate. He went home to the comfort of his wife.
A few months later, Elizabeth became pregnant and remained in seclusion for five months. Luke 1:25 tells us, “’The Lord has done this for me, she said. ‘In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people.’” Since some Jews didn’t believe in a bodily resurrection, any hope of immortality was in their children. Being older and childless, Elizabeth felt humiliated, disgraced, and cursed.
The same angel Gabriel was sent by God to deliver an important message to a virgin named Mary pledged to be married to Joseph a descendant of David. Mary, the Greek form of the Hebrew name Miriam means wise woman or lady. Luke 1:28 says, “The angel went to her and said, ‘Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.’” Mary was a Jewish peasant girl in Nazareth, a town in Galilee. She was certainly not viewed as a person suitable to be used by God.
Gabriel explained to Mary she will be with child and give birth to a son named Jesus. In verses 32-35 we learn “’He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.’ ‘How will this be,’ Mary asked the angel, since I am a virgin?’ The angel answered, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.’”
If God chooses to do something, put your faith and trust in him. Nothing is impossible with God.
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