PLEASE READ THIS FIRST: Luke 1:57-66
What do you sense the Lord saying to you in this passage?
“To everyone’s astonishment he wrote, ‘His name is John.'” (Luke 1:63)
Zechariah was speechless because he had doubted God (Luke 1:19-20).
By choosing the name ‘John’, he was showing he finally believed God.
Zechariah chooses to name his blessing, to believe and accept God’s promise.
There is something powerful in naming our experiences by faith.
A crisis can be named a God-opportunity and a coincidence named a God-incident!
My life is God’s gift, my experience is God’s design, my purpose is God’s purpose.
But we will not see it, or experience it, unless we name it.
Doubt holds us back, it keeps us from seeing and makes us speechless for God.
Faith helps us see God’s hand in our lives, and opens our mouths to tell others.
How we think may direct how we speak, but our mouths also shape our minds.
Negative, doubtful or discouraging words will reinforce that spirit in our lives.
They become true because we name them true, they become self-fulfilling prophecies.
Take time today to name where you see the Lord at work in your life, and praise him for it.
Our mouths will shape our minds, and our minds will release our mouths – to praise God!
PRAYER
Lord, release me from doubt and discouragement. Open my eyes to see you in everything, and open my mouth to name you through everything.
When Zach wrote that His name is John he confirmed his faith and the name John meant and showed that God was gracious. John was born to prepare a way for the Lord – the Christ to safe His people. He was filled by His Spirit and so am I to do His will. I am His and He is mine in all I do and say. Today God is first as He is every day as I continue to live in His presence.
[Verse 1]
I’m my Beloved’s and He is mine
His banner over me is love
I’m my Beloved’s and He is mine
His banner over me is love
I’m my Beloved’s and He is mine
His banner over me is love
His banner over me is love
[Verse 2]
He brought me to His banqueting table
His banner over me is love
He brought me to His banqueting table
His banner over me is love
He brought me to His banqueting table
His banner over me is love
His banner over me is love
[Verse 3]
He lifted me up to the heavenly places
His banner over me is love
He lifted me up to the heavenly places
His banner over me is love
He lifted me up to the heavenly places
His banner over me is love
His banner over me is love
Dare to be different: “There is no one among your relatives who has that name.” The name ‘John’ was outside the traditional naming pattern in Zachariah’s family – and just as the child was foretold to be different – so is the name. As a follower of Jesus I also need to dare to be different – bearing the label Christian or Jesus follower. Sometimes the naming gets messed up – a bad reputation – think of the label ‘evangelical’ or ‘fundamentalist’ today as attached to Christianity. In Bangladesh, the label Christian is associated with the lewd immoral west – so new converts from Islam started calling themselves Isaie – followers of Jesus. Even the label ‘church’ has caused offense for many who want nothing to do with church anymore. Our witness needs to be one of genuine love and concern for our fellow man and we must not follow a label – but rather be like and act like Jesus would.