Daily Devotional for Wednesday 6th December
Just Too Good To Be True?
It’s a fact that even good news is not always immediately believable. Abraham and Sarah had found this to be so (see Genesis 16). So now we see Zechariah finding it impossible to believe the angel’s promise. We have been told he was a godly priest but even for this godly priest the appearance of an angel and news he will have a son is just too much. Not many angels are actually named in the Bible but Gabriel is one and Zechariah would have been familiar with the book of Daniel where Gabriel uses the same phrase as he uses here, the ‘appointed time’ (Daniel 8:19), in an interpretation of a vision concerning God’s final victory. The significance would not have been lost on Zechariah. As Luke relates these incidents he wants us to understand the joined-up nature of God’s plans. God’s faithfulness is seen at the personal level – the couple will have a child – and at the overarching level – the Saviour of the world is coming.
Elizabeth rejoices in all that God has done for her – but the rejoicing has more to it than that. Both she and Zechariah are aware that their son will have massive significance for the future of Israel. Do we believe that God is still at work, fulfilling His purposes in unexpected ways and through unlikely people?
Time to reflect…
Zechariah’s doubts and questions are not the end of the story. We too may have doubts and questions but that does not mean God will not work in us and through us.
Pause to pray…
Recall times when God has shown His faithfulness to you. Take a moment in prayer to give Him thanks and praise for these.
