This story from Luke 1 is usually read as the preamble to the Christmas story. I don’t often read this chapter the rest of the year, but in the Bible reading plan I’m going through this year, my daily devotions landed in Luke 1 a couple days ago. The story is familiar to many of us as we read about the priest Zechariah, his inability to accept the angel’s prophecy about John the Baptist, and his subsequent loss of the ability to speak until John was born.
In past readings, I’ve often focused on Zechariah’s response, trying to find ways to avoid the same doubt-filled response when God chooses to intervene in my life. I find threads of my own story in this narrative … I’ve prayed regularly for God to use his power to change circumstances in my life that are beyond my control. Although He’s never responded by dispatching an angel to communicate His answer to me directly, I have definitely struggled to find the faith to believe He is in control during the difficult seasons of my life. As I re-read this passage again, I found myself fixated on the angel’s first comment:
“Zechariah! God has heard your prayer.”
Clearly, this couple had prayed earnestly for years, even decades, as they struggled with infertility. Now, after all the years of prayer, God decided to miraculously answer their request, long after Zechariah and Elizabeth had probably stopped praying about it. They likely asked God for a child throughout their younger years, but I imagine they probably figured God wasn’t going to provide a baby, since Elizabeth was well past child-bearing age. However, God had heard those prayers, and He was planning to act. He just acted in a way they did not expect, and had a much larger plan than they ever imagined.
What Zechariah and Elizabeth prayed to hopefully complete their family, God intended to use to prepare the way for His Son Jesus to enter the world.
I find myself identifying with Zechariah in this situation, and it scares me to think I could easily have a similar response. The external evidence points to a man who should have been an expert in listening to the voice of God and responding in faith. Not only was he a priest, a religious leader in Israel, but his encounter with the angel took place while he was actively worshiping God in the Temple. What could have been a better environment to hear the voice of God? I may be projecting a bit into the text and guessing at motives here, but I don’t think it’s unreasonable to surmise Zechariah fell prey to a similar line of thinking we are all susceptible to in our lives…At some point in his prayers, even in his worship, Zechariah’s prayers became “smaller,” and he stopped inviting God’s way, in God's own timing.
My own circumstances, especially the difficult and painful seasons, often influence me to limit my requests of God to short-sighted and self-focused prayers. These prayers are not wrong, and God wants to know the desires of our hearts. (1 Peter 5:7) However, I believe there is also great benefit for us to arrive at a place of surrender, worship, and prayer that invites the powerful work of God into our lives—even if He takes a different direction than we originally planned.
Thankfully for Zechariah, his detour lasted only 9 months, and he still had the privilege of welcoming a son, one who would have a great impact in God’s Kingdom. (In my home, I’m not even sure my wife would see Zechariah’s detour as a negative…there are quite a few days she would be completely OK with me losing my ability to speak!)
Maybe his story can challenge you, as it has for me, to try and open our eyes to the larger perspective God may be working in our lives. I may not get a personal visit from an angel, but I want to continually shape my worship and prayer life so I’m praying in accordance with His Word, His sovereign plans, and His loving will for me and those around me.
Brent
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