Begin with 2 minutes of silence and stillness before God.

Has there ever been a time in your life when you prayed so desperately for something and it felt like all you heard from Heaven was silence? Maybe you were praying for the salvation of a spouse or child. Maybe you were walking through a season of depression or anxiety that felt like it was never going to lift. Regardless of the circumstance, there is probably something in your life that you have prayed for over a long period of time. It can be easy to lose hope when we don’t see immediate results after we pray or when prayers are being answered slower than we would like.

Today we are going to look at the lives of Zechariah and his wife Elizabeth and how the Lord’s timing and provision not only answered their prayers but ushered in the Messiah.

In Luke 1:7, we learn that Zechariah and his wife are childless and well-advanced in years. This couple most likely prayed daily for years on end that the Lord would bring them a child, but nothing happened. To worsen the situation, Zechariah was a priest and Elizabeth was from the line of Aaron.

How could this couple, who scripture says was righteous and blameless before God, be barren and childless? Imagine the stigmatism - not only was there the weight of disappointment from desiring a child and not having one, but there was the weight of judgment from those who did not understand.

Sometimes, it’s hard to see outside of the pain of unanswered prayers. It’s hard to remain hopeful when it feels like our prayers are not heard or God is ignoring us. I’m sure this became a sinking feeling for Zechariah and Elizabeth. Little did they know, God did hear them loud and clear, and boy did He have an answer for them. An angel of the Lord came to Zechariah and told him that Elizabeth would have a son named John. If you have read any of the gospels, you’ve probably heard about John the Baptist.

This is his origin story. The angel goes on to tell Zechariah that his child will be filled with the Holy Spirit even while in Elizabeth’s womb. He will be the one to prepare the hearts of God’s people for the one who is to come. This child would not only be a blessing and an answered prayer to his parents, but also to those who would come to know the name of Jesus Christ.

From our finite perspective, it is reasonable and understandable to ask some questions. God, why make them wait so long if you were going to give them a child anyway? Why make them go through all that pain and frustration? We can even find ourselves asking that same question in our own lives. God, where are you in this? Why does it feel like you are withholding from me? What we see in this passage of scripture is that God had a perfect time for answering Zechariah and Elizabeth's prayer because of His plan to bring Jesus into the world through the young virgin, Mary. 

There was purpose in God waiting to give them a child. There was purpose in the pain of hoping and praying and not yet seeing God move.

He was about to set the wheels in motion for a much bigger story that their child, John, was going to be a part of.

Our lives and our stories are so much bigger than just us, too.

They are intertwined with the lives and stories of those around us. They all work together to create the bigger picture of what God is doing in and through His people. His timing isn’t going to match ours, and His answers aren’t always going to be what we want to hear. The good news is that He is always working for the good of those who love Him.

He has a purpose for your waiting, hoping, pain, desires, and future. When we trust God and His will, we not only experience His goodness, but we get to be a part of the bigger story He is writing.

Reflections:

• How have you seen God answer your prayers?
• Has there been a time when you were glad God didn’t answer a prayer the way you wanted Him to?
• Lift a prayer of praise to our God who is faithful to work all things for our good and His glory.

Take 2 minutes to reflect in silence.

Family Application: Luke 1

Author: Amy Stampley

When God gives us a job to do, He will always give us what we need to carry it out. When we believe in Him, God can do anything through us. In this 1st Chapter of Luke, we learn that God gave Zechariah and Elizabeth a baby even though they both were very old. When Zachariah was told that his wife would give birth, he doubted the message delivered by the angel. The angel told him since he had doubted this message from the Lord that his mouth would be sealed until the day of his son’s birth, and it was.

Six months later, an angel appeared to Mary and told her that she was chosen by God to be the mother to Jesus, the Holy Son of God. Mary asked the angel how this could be possible, but the angel assured her, “For with God, nothing shall be impossible”.

If we believe God’s Word is true and we know that He parted the waters of the sea, that He calmed the storms, that He walked on water, and that He raised Jesus from the dead, how much more can we trust that He can help us with our problems, too? Think about the message that the angel gave Mary. Nothing is impossible with God!

• Prayer: Dear God, Your Word is a lamp unto our feet. It teaches us how to live and how to serve. God, we know that nothing is impossible for You. Help us to live out that belief in all the ways as we serve and worship You. Amen.