SCRIPTURE: Luke 1:57-66
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 God’s message, to accept God’s promise.
There is something powerful in naming our experiences by faith.
This crisis is a God-opporunity, this encounter is a God-moment, this coincidence is 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 is a powerful inhibitor, it holds us back, it keeps us from seeing, it makes us speechless for God.
Faith opens our eyes, and our mouths; not only do we begin to see God in our lives, but we want to talk about it.
Our minds (what we think) may direct our mouths (what we say), but our mouths also shape our minds.
Negativity, doubt, discouragement expressed reinforce these things in our minds – and lives.
They become true because we name them true, they become self-fulfilling prophecies.
Let us join with Zechariah and name where we see God at work in our lives, and praise Him for it.
Our mouths will shape our minds, and our minds will release our mouths – to praise God!
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
God, release me from doubt and discouragement. Open my eyes to see You in everything, and to praise You through everything.
This sounded like a cool family. They were close to the community, and to their relatives. Zachariah and Elizabeth were not afraid to think outside the box. They were expected to name the child after his father, but they had previously decided to call the child John, as instructed by the angel when he met with Zachariah. Zachariah was freed from his silence when he followed this instruction by writing this on his tablet. (Was this the first I-Pad?)
We read earlier that Zachariah and Elizabeth were blameless, and followed all of God’s laws. They were blessed to be able to be a part of the plan of God. God worked with them, even showing Zachariah that he should not doubt Him. I would find it hard to believe as well, the promise that was made. Like Abraham and Sarah, they were both older. God did not punish Sarah for her disbelief, yet Zachariah was silent till the birth of his son. God deals with each one of us in a different manner.
I pray that I will learn to trust in God. I pray that I will not doubt his promises to me. Like the family shown in this story, I thank God for the love and fellowship of my family and those around me.
Observations/Application
There is community in our joy and in our sorrow. And the peoples heard that the Lord God was present. Celebrate. Celebrate His presence! And they did with Elizabeth. They shared her joy.
Naming the child was a big deal. What is in a name? It can not be taken lightly for people follow tradition – naming the child after a family member or naming the child to show that the Lord God had done marvellous things in their lives.
What’s in a name?
God’s presence when deliberately chosen.
What’s in a name?
God’s presence if we but follow His Way for our lives.
What’s in a name?
God’s presence for all Christian parents desire that the Lord God would work mightily within and upon our/His child. All children are a gift from the Lord. Never doubt that. But pray that the hand of the Lord is upon your child so that s/he will grow up in the fear of the Lord. Walk with the risen Saviour in all your ways.
We/I always wonder what the child will going to be.
No greater happiness do parents have than that their children are walking in the Way – walking with their risen Saviour, serving Him!
Prayer
Help me in my praise Lord so all may see that what I desire is that all my family are Your instruments of peace, serving You with their lives. Open all of our eyes and let us see You working mightily in us and through us for Your hand is also upon us.
O soul, are you weary and troubled?
No light in the darkness you see?
There’s a light for a look at the Savior,
And life more abundant and free!
Refrain
Turn your eyes uponJesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.
Through death into life everlasting
He passed, and we follow Him there;
Over us sin no more hath dominion—
For more than conquerors we are!
Refrain
His Word shall not fail you—Hepromised;
Believe Him, and all will be well:
Then go to a world that is dying,
His perfect salvation to tell!
Refrain