Even God fearing people go wanting!

Luke 1:5-25

In the days of King Herod of Judaea there lived a priest called Zechariah who belonged to the Abijah section of the priesthood, and he had a wife, Elizabeth by name, who was a descendant of Aaron. Both were worthy in the sight of God, and scrupulously observed all the commandments and observances of the Lord. But they were childless: Elizabeth was barren and they were both getting on in years.

  Now it was the turn of Zechariah’s section to serve, and he was exercising his priestly office before God when it fell to him by lot, as the ritual custom was, to enter the Lord’s sanctuary and burn incense there. And at the hour of incense the whole congregation was outside, praying.

  Then there appeared to him the angel of the Lord, standing on the right of the altar of incense. The sight disturbed Zechariah and he was overcome with fear. But the angel said to him, ‘Zechariah, do not be afraid, your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth is to bear you a son and you must name him John. He will be your joy and delight and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord; he must drink no wine, no strong drink. Even from his mother’s womb he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, and he will bring back many of the sons of Israel to the Lord their God. With the spirit and power of Elijah, he will go before him to turn the hearts of fathers towards their children and the disobedient back to the wisdom that the virtuous have, preparing for the Lord a people fit for him.’

  Zechariah said to the angel, ‘How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is getting on in years.’ The angel replied, ‘I am Gabriel who stand in God’s presence, and I have been sent to speak to you and bring you this good news. Listen! Since you have not believed my words, which will come true at their appointed time, you will be silenced and have no power of speech until this has happened.’ Meanwhile the people were waiting for Zechariah and were surprised that he stayed in the sanctuary so long. When he came out he could not speak to them, and they realised that he had received a vision in the sanctuary. But he could only make signs to them, and remained dumb.

  When his time of service came to an end he returned home. Some time later his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she kept to herself. ‘The Lord has done this for me’ she said ‘now that it has pleased him to take away the humiliation I suffered among men.’

Food for thought!

Zachariah, a priest, had married a woman of priestly descent. The gospel says that the Both were worthy in the sight of God, and scrupulously observed all the commandments and observances of the Lord. But they were childless: Elizabeth was barren and they were both getting on in years. Two holy people, righteous in God’s eyes, careful to obey all of the Lord’s commandments and regulations, and yet, UNABLE TO HAVE A CHILD OF THEIR OWN.

This fact says a lot. It means that even God fearing people like this couple, can have no child. Yes, sometimes bad things can happen to good people. Only God knows why this happens; only God knows when the right time for us to be blessed. It has nothing to do with sins; it is not that Zachariah and Elizabeth were sinners that they could not get a child. Indeed, the couple was God fearing and faithful in their living.

Despite their situation, the couple served the Lord. Zachariah never stopped going to the Temple. Sometimes we give up too soon, too easily. Just because we are not getting what we think we should get, or because we are being what we think we should be. One thing stands out: it was in God’s house that God’s message came to Zacharias. The gospel says that while Zecharias was in the sanctuary, an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the incense altar.

Yes, the message of the Lord comes to those who know how to listen; who know how to wait on the Lord. We do well to learn to listen in quite places; opportunity sometimes knocks very softly (Mother Theresa). Our prayers are strong when we are silent; when there is peace of mind, there is inner strength which is unfailing. Someone once said that in all of our Christian life we’re prepared to hear God speak to us, but nothing prepares us for His silence. In other words, many of us are ready to listen to the Word of God but not ready to listen to the Silence of the God.

Remember that the less you speak about your problem to others, the more you are listened to by the Lord. Yes, like Zacharias, when quietness is maintained within us, our problems and challenges vanish like mist before the rising sun. It is in silence that we bring ourselves to a realization of the good for which we have long sought in vain.

Did you know that our mind is most efficient only when it is cool, not hot. In a heated state of mind, emotions take over, which may prove costly; power comes from quietness. God’s silence is an opportunity for us to enter into the silence with Him. It is our invitation to shift our relationship from one that demands words to an intimate relationship where no words are necessary.

A wise old bird sat on an oak tree. The more he saw, the less he spoke; the less he spoke, the more he heard. Lord, make us like that wise old bird; make us like Zacharias. Because he was quiet, he was able to hear the message from God. Remember that the less you speak, the more you are heard!