PLEASE READ THIS FIRST: Luke 1:5-20
What do you sense the Lord saying to you in this passage?
“To make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” (Luke 1:17)
Before the birth of the messiah baby, another baby is born.
This aged couple, like Abraham and Sarah, is part of God’s salvation plan.
Their child will be filled with the Spirit even before he is born – a special child!
And yet, he will know that he is secondary, less than the messiah.
John would one day say, “Jesus must become greater; I must become less.” (John 3:30)
And Jesus said: “Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John.”
“Yet whoever is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.” (Matthew 11:11)
John is one of the greatest, and yet he is just average among all Jesus followers.
John prepares people for Jesus, and through Jesus all are restored to greatness.
Like John, we are also part of God’s rescue plan to help people find Jesus.
We show them by our own lives what it means to repent and believe and follow Jesus.
We are also filled with the Spirit of Jesus to help us do our work.
This little baby is a big part of God’s plan… and so are you, so am I!
We are to devote our lives, like this baby, to pointing people to Jesus!
PRAYER
Lord, I am not just a nobody. I have Your Spirit, I am a part of God’s salvation plan. I am Your missionary, pointing people to You. Make Your Name greater through me!
As humans, we often look for a sign – or we wish we would have a clear sign from God. Yet it seems that it might now be enough. An Angel appearing – startling Zechariah – seems to me to be totally out of the ordinary – yet in the end the Angel has to silence him – because he wouldn’t believe. Seems to me that special signs might not work to convince. I believe God works through the usual means – although not limited to that. That’s also where the HS comes in. I need to be open and listening to what God is telling and guiding me – and not wait for drama. The message Zechariah got was what they were waiting for – it was big drama! The Messiah is coming and Z’s son has a special role. Maybe that is what stunned Z – it’s too much. I wonder if I realize what’s really at stake here. The Gospel is really the only thing that matters!
They walked blamelessly before the Lord. In order to do this on needs to be in touch with God, hearing His voice. I too need to be quiet to hear the Lord’s voice. He continues to speak and need to ponder His Word with trust and confidence. My heart needs to be in tune, guided by His Spirit working within me.
Spirit of the living God,
Fall afresh on me.
Melt me, mold me, fill me, use me.
Spirit of the living God,
Fall afresh on me.