READING: Luke 1:5-25
Zecharias the priest and his wife Elizabeth were righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of God blameless. However though Elizabeth was barren and they had no child at their old age, yet Zecharias was still serving the Lord and performing his priestly functions. Verse 13 shows that Zecharias probably had been praying to God for a child in their home.
When Zecharias was busy performing his duties as a priest, God sent an angel to tell him that his prayers had been answered, and that God would give him a baby boy to be called John. The above incident confirms the word of God in Psalm 37:4 which enjoins us to delight ourselves in the Lord, and He will give us the desires of our hearts. Let us keep on serving God and not behave like some people who would say that if God doesn’t answer their prayers immediately, they would drop their bibles.
Again, Zecharias doubted God and demanded for a sign before he could believe the message. Instead of receiving a favourable sign, God struck him dumb for some months. Any person who doubts God receives punishment as a sign. The officer who doubted the word of God spoken by Elisha was punished with death (2 Kings 7-8). On the other hand, trusting and believing God fetches us blessings, peace and righteousness. Abraham was counted a righteous man just because he believed God.
Zecharias might have demanded for a sign probably because he was under pressure, and his wife was old and had passed the age of child-bearing. Let us know that in a hard time and seemingly impossible situation, God gives us the chances of proving what He can do.
PRAYER: Today, bring your very difficult problems to God in prayer and ask Him for solutions.