Daily Devotional for Tuesday 5th December
Unlikely Beginnings
If we didn’t now know better, we would have been saying the signs for anything momentous occurring at this time described by Luke were not at all promising: a nation ruled by the Romans through a puppet king (v 5); an elderly childless couple and an ancient and, probably for most ordinary people, a mainly forgotten prophecy. The great actions of God, however, often start in unlikely circumstances. Despite the unpromising background, despite the unlikely nature of the events Luke describes, we, like Theophilus (v 3), can be assured of the truth of what we read and confident of the hope of salvation that God offers through Jesus.
Luke starts his amazing narrative with a godly priest and his wife who live with the pain of childlessness. The promise of a child to this couple reminds us of Abraham and Sarah, Jacob and Rachel. God’s plans have often come to fulfilment through unusual and unlikely births.
There are several Old Testament references here. John will share some of the Nazarite characteristics (see Numbers 6: 1-21). He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, a mark of Old Testament prophets, and his call to the people to return to the Lord is reminiscent of the messages of the prophets of old; and of course, he also fulfills Isaiah’s prophecy, while the words of the angel (subsequently revealed as Gabriel), by referring to the final words of prophecy in the Old Testament (Malachi 4: 5,6), build a bridge between the Testaments. God is indeed starting something new but it is in direct continuity with all that has gone before.
We can have confidence in the ongoing story of God’s saving plan for the world. Malachi was looking forward to a new era of salvation; this is now dawning and John comes in the ‘Elijah’ role of Malachi to prepare the way for someone greater yet to come.
Time to reflect…
Do we have confidence that God is in control and is working out His long-term plan even when we are facing challenges in our lives?
Pause to pray…
Father, as we read and hear the familiar stories this Christmas help us to come with fresh eyes and may we find confidence and reassurance in your Word. Amen
