When Zechariah’s time of service was completed, he returned home. After this his wife Elizabeth became
pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion. “The Lord has done this for
me,” she said. “In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace
among the people.” (Luke 1:23-25)
God’s timing: In these days…
God is the One who determined that Elizabeth and Zechariah would
bear a child—not in their prime bearing years, but in their old age. Our Lord,
from time to time, chooses to do the miraculous in us and through us. We become
participants in His great work… but we do not control the timing. That
prerogative is left to God alone.
God’s option: …He has shown His favor…
God, in addition to giving Elizabeth and Zechariah the joy of
having a child, gave them the favored position of being parents of John, the
forerunner of Christ. There would be no other parents who had that special designation.
“And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn
the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom
of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” (Luke
1:17)
God’s rescue: … and taken away my disgrace…
God, by giving Elizabeth a child, removed from her the state of
barrenness that her culture viewed as a form of curse… and that she viewed as a
form of disgrace. “When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave
birth to a son. Her neighbors and
relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her
joy.” (Luke 1:57-58)
God’s exposure: …among the people.
God allowed Elizabeth to experience the social stigma of
barrenness for decades, but He then gave her a pregnancy and birth which touched
her community and region. “All the neighbors were filled with awe, and
throughout the hill country of Judea people were talking about all these
things. Everyone who heard this wondered
about it, asking, ‘What then is this child going to be?’ For the Lord’s hand
was with him.” (Luke 1:65-66)
The Lord has done this for me. In time, all will see.
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