Week 1 Day 2

November 30, 2021

An Angel Announces The Birth Of John

Scripture: Luke 1:5-25 (NIV)

In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron. Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commands and decrees blamelessly. But they were childless because Elizabeth was not able to conceive, and they were both very old. Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside. Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. 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 call him John. He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born. He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for 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 said to him, “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. And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their appointed time.” Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he stayed so long in the temple. When he came out, he could not speak to them. They realized he had seen a vision in the temple, for he kept making signs to them but remained unable to speak. When his time of service was completed, he returned home. After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion. “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.”

Devotional

Both Zechariah and Elizabeth “were righteous in the sight of God.” They had to be disappointed to be childless and very old. But this didn’t stop them from living blamelessly and serving faithfully. Too often, we make our obedience to God based upon our circumstances.

Zechariah’s selection to be the priest who burned incense in the temple was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. He had waited a lifetime for this honor. This priest from the hill country was now in the big city carrying out a faithful duty in the holy temple of God. Just imagine what he was thinking and feeling! What do you imagine he was anticipating the experience to be like?

Sometimes, our expectations are met with a cold dose of reality. But, once in a while, real life exceeds our expectations beyond our wildest imagination. That’s exactly what happened to Zechariah. While dutifully serving at the altar of incense, an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing right there in his presence. An angel! No doubt Zechariah didn’t see this one coming. Luke 1:12 says, “when Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear.” Interesting. Zechariah was serving God, but didn’t really expect to encounter God!

He couldn’t believe his eyes. And after the angel Gabriel told him that he and his wife were going to have a son, he couldn’t believe his ears. How could an aging, childless husband and wife have a baby? Illogical. Impossible. Even if a messenger from God delivers the news.

But it happened. Zechariah went back home, and his wife Elizabeth became pregnant. That’s how God works. Illogical. Impossible. Done.
(See Exodus 30:6-8)

Poem

The Righteous
Despite long lives of sorrow
And tears in pillows shed
The hopeless dreams of ‘morrow
The prayers whispered in bed
As disappointments tower
When pain and suffering wed
The Righteous find their power
In faith that is not dead

In dailiness of malaise
Comes call to worship, serve
They don the robes of “holy”
They summon up their nerve
To enter duty’s calling
The throne room, rites preserve
The Righteous’ expectations
Are thrown a grace-filled curve

For God’s imagination
Is wilder than their dream
God’s plan of deep salvation
The will of the Supreme
Though only seen quite dimly
Sometimes the veiled seam
Is torn before the Righteous
Exposing sacred theme

Theophany brings muteness
As tongue cannot express
The grandeur of the message
The heavenly address
Until all fullness gestates
Then birthing of the blessed
The Righteous witness favor
A miracle caress