Welcome to Jill Hamming, a friend of mine from Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, and a regular participant on this web page. She will share her reflections on the readings from Luke 1-2.
SCRIPTURE: Luke 1:5-25
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
Zechariah was behind the curtain, in the holiest place on earth, for the first and only time in his life! For a godly man who loved the Lord it would already have been a momentous event -to perform this service, to be in the place where his God actually met with the people.
And now there was an angel! No wonder Zechariah was afraid. No wonder he found it hard to believe. Who would not be like him? And yet his struggle to believe gives the story more credibility. The fact that he couldn’t talk made the event more believable than if he could speak about it right away. Another way for God to reassure us that what Zechariah would tell us later, was true.
The angel said that John would bring them joy, be great in the Lord’s eyes, bring people back to the Lord, turn fathers’ hearts back to their children, help make people prepared for the Lord! The time of reconciliation was begun. God so wanted us to come back to relationship with Him.
Don’t you love how God uses regular people to carry out His plans? Yes Zechariah and Elizabeth were righteous godly people, yet they were still human like us. God could have just had angels make pronouncements from the sky. He could have had Jesus arrive as an adult and teach us and then die and rise again. But He wants relationship with us, for us to be part of His plan, carrying out His work. He wants us to learn what He is like as He relates with us individually.
PRAYER:
Thank-you God, that we have the example of Zechariah. Thank-you that even godly people can doubt or be afraid. Thank-you that You brought joy to Zechariah and Elizabeth. Lord teach us what this means that You care about us so much. Use us to reach others. Amen
Zechariah’s reponse to the angel was totally human. And yet, being a man in total service to the Lord, in right relationship with God, he questioned God on how this would all be possible. A complete different response from Mary later on. A good reminder that with God all things are possible and His Word and promises do come to pass in His time. In our walk with God, we need to hear His voice and rely on His promises. Trust and obey, for there is no other way. God’s will will come to pass. Open my eyes Lord that I may see You also using me for Your kingdom services.
Have thine own way, Lord! Have thine own way!
Thou art the potter, I am the clay.
Mold me and make me after thy will,
while I am waiting, yielded and still.
Have thine own way, Lord! Have thine own way!
Hold o’er my being absolute sway.
Fill with thy Spirit till all shall see
Christ only, always, living in me!