Luke 1:67-69

Zechariah and Elizabeth were an old couple. At the time, being childless was a matter of shame and disgrace and they had lived with this burden for many years. One day, Zechariah was doing his priestly duty in the temple and was confronted by the angel Gabriel. The angel told him that Elizabeth was going to have a baby and he was, not surprisingly, astonished. He asked the angel how this could possibly happen in view of their great age. Gabriel informed him that the message had come directly from God and that Zechariah’s failure to believe it immediately meant that he would be unable to speak until the child’s birth.

What amazing months they must have been as Zechariah and Elizabeth adjusted to the fact that they were going to have a baby. And how frustrating it must have been for Zechariah to have been unable to express his undoubted delight. We can only imagine the smile on Zechariah’s face when their son John was safely born and he was able to speak again. We read that he was filled with the Holy Spirit as he launched into a prophetic prayer of praise and worship.

For hundreds of years the Jews had been waiting for their Messiah and now, at last, the time had come. Zechariah’s special son was going to pave the way for the arrival of their Saviour. We know nothing about Zechariah and Elizabeth other than what we read in this chapter. They were simply faithful Jewish believers who were willing to serve the Lord and play their part in the coming of Jesus.

Our calling today is, like Zechariah and Elizabeth, to serve God faithfully, even when he asks us to do surprising things.

Question

What do you learn from the example of Zechariah and Elizabeth’s faithfulness?

Prayer

Loving God, thank you for the privilege of serving you. Help me to be faithful to you, even when you ask me to do surprising things. Amen