Zechariah and Elizabeth waited a lifetime to see their prayers answered. Scripture tells us that they were “righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord.” Their story echoes the heart-cry of Psalm 130 as they waited for the Lord with complete reverence and humility. They waited in mature hope until God’s timing was perfect and fulfilled their deepest longing by giving them a son who would also be the fulfillment of a 400-year-old prophecy from Malachi. Delay is not denial when we wait on the Lord, and that is our Thread of Hope.