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.”
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One thing that comes to mind in this passage is this: Be careful about asking God for proof regarding His promises. Zechariah, in His doubt regarding the promise of a son, asked for proof, a sign. And his request was answered immediately: He ability to speak was taken away.
This would have made carrying out his priestly duties very difficult. He wasn’t able to speak the customary blessing on the crowd as he left the temple, and for nearly nine months back at home, he would not have been able to teach the people, nor lead them in their public prayers.
There is something fitting about Zechariah’s silence. The angel had just announced that his son would be a prophet. A prophet’s main tool was speaking. The prophet is called to proclaim to the people the revelation that God had revealed to Him. Zechariah had acted in a very “un-prophet” manner by doubting God’s revelation. So the proof of the truth of God’s revelation would be to make Zechariah unable to act as any kind of prophet.
The point here is that God wants us to trust Him. Some of what God calls us to believe is difficult. We focused on one such example yesterday, trusting in God’s promise to answer prayer when we don’t see the answer.
Our primary relationship with God is that of faith. God’s work in our life is always about calling us to faith. God’s goal in our lives is not our immediate happiness or comfort, but rather our immediate faith in His promises. The chief promise that He calls us to believe is the promise of forgiveness and new life in the Savior.
Lord Jesus, give me grace to trust in Your Word and promises, even when the events and situations of my life make it difficult.
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For previous Abide devotions, go to https://stjohnslutheran.net/category/abide/
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