December 4, What If I Missed It? by G. Owens

Luke 1:12-17
When Zechariah saw him, he was terrified; and fear overwhelmed him. But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will name him John. You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He must never drink wine or strong drink; even before his birth, he will be filled with the Holy Spirit. He will turn many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. With the spirit and power of Elijah he will go before him, to turn the hearts of parents to their children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

Theme:
Do you have them too? Those recurring dreams that delight or trouble our sleep for years? The one that keeps showing up for me started not too long after I graduated from college. In the dream, it’s graduation day and I’m gowned and ready for the procession. Suddenly, my advisor pulled me from the line and informed me I could not graduate because I did not pass a required math class. But I couldn’t recall it being on my list of classes and had never attended a single class. And I had missed it completely.

Illustration:
Zechariah and Elizabeth were ‘righteous before God…and getting along in years.’ But they had not been blessed with children. Being barren in ancient Israel was often perceived as a sign of God’s displeasure. The irony of righteous people missing out on a blessing (like children) is woven throughout their story.
Even in their disappointment, Zechariah and Elizabeth continued to live blamelessly. And God showed up – big time. Zechariah was serving in his priestly duties, offering incense in the sanctuary of the Lord when Gabriel appeared to him – and Zechariah was terrified (angels seem to have that effect throughout the Christmas story…). But Gabriel came with an incredible promise, one that Zechariah found hard to believe. Not only would Elizabeth become pregnant, but they would have a son! A son who would ‘make ready a people prepared for the Lord.’
Why is it that we are often not surprised when things don’t line up with our expectations when bad news is all we seem to hear? And yet, when God shows up with great promise our initial response is terror and skepticism?

Takeaway:
Can we hold onto the example of Zechariah and Elizabeth, continuing to live blamelessly and walking in righteousness when the road is hard to follow?

Prayer:
God of all promises, we yearn for you to show up in our lives. Yet we fear we could completely miss your message, your messengers, when they come. This Christmas season, may we watch for you and embrace your promise as you lay to rest our fears. Even so, come Lord Jesus. For Jesus and because of Jesus, Amen.