My Story
Background Story: After decades of being unable to have a child, Zechariah is about to get a very unexpected visit.
Read Luke 1:5-25
5 In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron. 6 Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commands and decrees blamelessly. 7 But they were childless because Elizabeth was not able to conceive, and they were both very old.
8 Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, 9 he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10 And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside.
11 Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. 12 When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. 13 But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John. 14 He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, 15 for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born. 16 He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. 17 And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”
18 Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.”
19 The angel said to him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. 20 And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their appointed time.”
21 Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he stayed so long in the temple. 22 When he came out, he could not speak to them. They realized he had seen a vision in the temple, for he kept making signs to them but remained unable to speak.
23 When his time of service was completed, he returned home. 24 After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion. 25 “The Lord has done this for me,” she said. “In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people.”
Big Idea: God is still writing my story.
When the angel came to Zechariah in Luke 1 giving him the news that he would be a father, his first response was fear and uncertainty asking the angel, “how can I be sure of this?” You wonder if Elizabeth and Zechariah had experienced the hope of pregnancies during those decades only to have their joy turn to disappointment and sorrow again and again.
These heroes of the Bible were people just like us who didn’t always understand the why, when, and how of God’s plan. They didn’t know that their story would be read at churches all over the world at Christmastime. They just kept waking up day after day trying to walk faithfully before God.
All those years, God had heard Elizabeth and Zechariah’s prayers and had destined their lives to be a supernatural story that demonstrated His power. If only they had seen a glimpse of the future, they would have waited differently with anticipation. But God doesn’t reveal to us His entire plan and says “my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways” (Isaiah 55:8).
Today we have the choice in our uncertainties and trials to keep showing up day after day in faith. No matter our circumstances, we can believe in faith that God is both good and sovereign. We can know with certainty that God loves us and has good in store. We can open our hands releasing control and surrendering our dreams to His ultimate plan. God is still at work and is writing a supernatural story with your life that will display His power to the world. Give Him your fears and keep showing up. God is still moving and your story isn’t finished!
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