Zechariah asked . . . “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.”

— Luke 1:18

Zechariah and Elizabeth had grown old waiting for a child. But then one day, when Zechariah had an opportunity to burn incense in a holy, inner room of the temple, an angel of God appeared and said that their prayers had been heard. They would soon have a child!But it seemed too good to be true. Zechariah didn’t believe the message at first, so the angel told him he would not be able to speak anymore until the child was born.When we wait for a long time for something to happen, it’s easy to let our doubts and fears overshadow God’s promises. Sometimes we feel more secure in clinging to our sinful habits and our broken dreams. “You expect me to talk about what God is doing in my life? With people who know me all too well? No thanks,” we easily say, “not me.”In some ways the story of Christmas seems too good to be true. Can sinful human beings really have a relationship with the holy God? Can people searching for purpose in life really discover the call of God on their hearts?Yes! God promises that we too can be part of the story he is writing—about humanity being redeemed and restored to live in favor with the One who made heaven and earth.Thankfully, not even our doubts can cancel God’s plans. And, in Jesus, God comes into our world offering new life for us all! Can you believe it?

Lord, show us that your patience means salvation (2 Peter 3:9), and help us to believe your promises even when it seems to take a long time for them to be fulfilled. Amen.