ADVENT DAY 4: Dec. 4
Luke 1:18-25
Zechariah and Elizabeth
18 And Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.” 19 And the angel answered him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. 20 And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time.” 21 And the people were waiting for Zechariah, and they were wondering at his delay in the temple. 22 And when he came out, he was unable to speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple. And he kept making signs to them and remained mute. 23 And when his time of service was ended, he went to his home. 24 After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she kept herself hidden, saying, 25 “Thus the Lord has done for me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.” ESV
Hard to Believe
Alyse Gonyea
Have you ever found it difficult to trust or believe in the promises of God?
If so, you’re not alone. Throughout Scripture, we see people, even those who loved and served God, struggle to trust His power and ability to fulfill what He has promised. Zechariah was one of them.
There he was, faithfully fulfilling his priestly duties in the Temple. Earlier in the chapter, we read that Zechariah and Elizabeth were both righteous in God’s sight, careful to obey all His commands. Yet despite their faithfulness, they had remained childless. So, when an angel of the Lord appeared with what should have been the most joyous news, that they would have a son, and not just any son, but one filled with the Spirit who would prepare the way for the Savior, Zechariah responded with doubt.
Imagine for a moment being in Zechariah and Elizabeth’s shoes. They were well past the normal years of childbearing, having endured decades of heartbreak, disappointment, and the quiet ache of unanswered prayer for a child. In their culture, barrenness carried shame, and others may have even passed judgments, wondering what sin they had committed to deserve to be childless.
Can you blame Zechariah for struggling to believe? From his perspective, the time for that kind of miracle had long passed. Yet even when doubt slipped in, God’s promise still stood. The faithfulness of God is not dependent on the strength of our belief; it rests entirely on His character. And despite Zechariah’s questions, God still fulfilled His promise to him.
Sometimes, like Zechariah, we can be faithfully serving, praying, and waiting for God to move, and still find it hard to believe when He finally does. Waiting can wear us down. Hope can start to feel unrealistic. But Advent reminds us that God’s promises are never out of reach or out of time. He works in His perfect timing, not ours, and nothing is impossible for Him. And He will always be faithful to His promises. Zechariah’s story reminds us that even when our faith falters, God remains faithful. His word always comes to pass. And just as God fulfilled His promise to send John the Baptist to prepare the way for Jesus, He will also fulfill His promises in our lives, often in ways we could never imagine.
Prayer:
Thank you, God, that your Word reminds me that I am not the first to have a hard time believing in your impossibilities. Thank you for your patience with me. In the name of our Brother, Jesus, Amen.
