Christmas Devotional: 15th December 2020
How often do we feel like we’re waiting in vain on God to perform a miracle in our lives that would simply change everything?
The first part of this passage is an amazing example of God’s people showing faithfulness and being rewarded accordingly.
Elizabeth and Zechariah were an elderly couple who were faithful to God but didn’t expect the gift they received of a son (vv.57). Zechariah was struck mute earlier in this chapter (vv.20) due his unbelief of the angel of the Lord’s prophecy; namely that he and his elderly wife would bear a son.
Maybe you’re like me when you first read this passage and thought that this seemed awfully harsh as God had promised the unlikely and unexpected. We as a generation have a tendency to try to rationalise and justify everything so I can’t help but think that I would have been like Zechariah and doubted the birth of John.
However, through John’s birth, this story teaches us so much about God’s loving grace and kindness to His people when they put their trust in Him alone.
One of the beautiful things about serving our Lord is the effect that we can produce by witnessing to those around us.
Elizabeth lived out her faith openly among her neighbours by going against their name suggestions and choosing to give her son the name told by the angel (vv.60). By the couple both individually following the word of the Lord and hence choosing the name John (from the Hebrew “Yohanan” meaning Yahweh is gracious), what may seem like a small act of obedience had such a greater meaning. Luke tells us that the people around them “were amazed” (vv.63).
How often is our faith so great that it amazes those around us?
Obedience and trust in societies made of selfish beings acting for selfish gain makes people notice. We are called to a higher purpose, we are a city on a hill, and our light cannot be put out. Live boldly for Jesus and people will notice!
Most astonishing in this passage is the miracle God that performs by restoring Zechariah’s speech. So often we feel like trials and pain are the be all and end all, but this passage like so many others in the Bible proves to us that our God is powerful enough and so loving to bring us out of hard times even stronger and more on fire for Him.
The blessings of diligently following God include a refilling of the Holy Spirit. Are you longing to be “filled with the Holy Spirit” (vv.67) afresh this season?
The last part of this passage is a beautiful praise-and-prophecy in one from Zechariah, as he sings of God’s never-ending mercy (vv.72) and tells of how John will prepare the way for his cousin Jesus (vv.76). What I love most about this passage is the immediate change in Zechariah as he goes from not having the ability to speak to praising God for 12 verses straight!
That is the sign of someone on fire for God. When God blesses you with a gift, like He did with Zechariah’s restored speech, how can you use it for His glory?
So often we spend too much time waiting for God to move, instead of thanking Him for and using what He’s already given us.
I pray that we can learn from Elizabeth and Zechariah to be; patient and trusting in the waiting, faithful and bold in action, and grateful and humble in the blessing this Christmas season!