Tuesday, December 19, 2017:
Then there appeared to him an angel of the Lord, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. When Zechariah saw him, he was terrified; and fear overwhelmed him. But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will name him John.
Luke 1: 11-13
These verses reveal a lot about God and His plan for our future before we were ever born. We are reminded that He has known and planned for everyone to see the grace of God in Jesus the Christ. John’s name means the “Grace of God” or gracious God.
Zechariah had prayed for a child for a very long time. This time the prayer is answered while he is at the altar, by an angel of the Lord who appeared and called him by name. Not only was Elizabeth going to have a son, but their son would be the forerunner for Jesus.
This had been God’s plan all along, yet Zechariah prayed year after year for a child... and possibly thought his prayer would never be answered. He could not have known the answer to the prayer would be so much more than he had prayed for, that their son would make way for Jesus.
This passage reminds me that God does hear our prayers even if they seem to be unanswered. Even if we doubt that they will ever be answered, like Zechariah, we must not lose hope. Rejoice and know that in God’s time, prayers will be answered and will bring unexpected blessings.
Prayer: Thank you, Father for hearing our prayers and answering in your time. Thank you that you have the best answer, far greater than we might imagine. Align our prayers with your will. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Creative Call-to-Action: Make time to pray the prayers that you have prayed for a long time. As you pray, rest in God’s answer to Zechariah and Elizabeth, and reassure yourself that they will be answered in God’s timing and with His amazing grace.
—Cindy Thompson