I finished writing this devotional piece this morning to send to international staff serving in places like Sudan and South Sudan – challenging places where life is unpredictable, the work is hard, and disappointment is often part of the landscape. You might want to refresh your memory of Luke chapter one so that you’ll have the context fresh in your mind as you read. My hope is that this meditation will be an encouragement to you, wherever you are and whatever your circumstances look like today.
I never get tired of the biblical accounts of Jesus’ coming into the world, and all the details the Scriptures give us of the events surrounding this pivotal moment in history. The people caught up in these events were real people like us, with the same kinds of hopes, dreams, worries and fears that any of us might experience as we move through the ups and downs of life. Their experiences are recorded for our benefit, and there are so many great lessons to learn if we take time to ponder over these stories.
I’ve been reflecting this week on the ‘prologue’ to the story, found in Luke chapter one, which features two faithful people, Zechariah and his wife Elizabeth, who became the parents of John the Baptist. Zechariah and Elizabeth are both descendants of a priestly line. Luke tells us they were blameless – truly good people who did their best to order their lives faithfully according to God’s commands.
They were also living out the supreme tragedy for people of their day and culture: they were childless in spite of doing everything right. This situation would have meant public shame as well as private grief that continued year after year, even as their hopes for a child of their own faded with the passage of time. The community would have assumed that, if God had withheld this most necessary and basic blessing from Zechariah and Elizabeth, it was because something was wrong with them – some secret sin or deep character flaw. Through those difficult years of disappointment, unanswered questions, public humiliation and private grief, until all hope of having a child was gone, they persevered and remained faithful to God – but not without some wounds to their hearts, and at least for Zechariah, some sense of offense with God and difficulty in having faith for the future.
And then something unexpected happens. Zechariah is chosen to go into the temple at Jerusalem to burn incense and intercede for the people. There were so many priests by this time in Israel’s history, that a man could serve as a priest his entire life and never have this opportunity, so it’s a big deal. A crowd of people are waiting outside as Zechariah goes in, and now something even more unexpected happens. An angel appears to Zechariah and announces that he and his wife Elizabeth will have a son, and that this child will be the forerunner of the Messiah who will announce His coming! This has got to be the best news that Zechariah has ever heard, and we might expect him to be ecstatic with joy… but he has a problem. After so many years of hope followed by painful disappointment it sounds too good to be true. His only response to this amazing news is an expression of doubt – “How can I be sure of this?” along with a hint of accusation against God – “my wife and I are too old now.” Why didn’t God answer our prayers sooner? Why did He let us struggle all these years?
What stands out to me about this encounter between Zechariah and the angel Gabriel is that God doesn’t explain the ‘why’ to His faithful – but struggling – priest. He doesn’t apologize to Zechariah for all the long years of waiting, for all the disappointments and heartache. Our God is a comforter, healer, restorer of hope, a patient teacher and a compassionate Father, but He is not in the habit of apologizing, because His ways are perfect! So, what does God do with Zechariah? He sends him on a ‘silent retreat.’ The answer to Zechariah’s question, as well as the proofs of God’s goodness and faithfulness, are all there in the sacred stories of Scripture: Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebekah, Hannah, people who experienced barrenness, brokenness, long periods of waiting, and ultimately blessedness as they trusted in the Faithful One. Zechariah was going to have nine months to reflect, listen, and work things out with the Lord. And he does work it out! The next time he speaks it is to announce God’s faithfulness to fulfill the promises He made long ago, and to proclaim His mercy, kindness and forgiveness.
In this same chapter of Luke’s Gospel, we have the story of the angel Gabriel’s visit to Mary to make a similar announcement – another miracle of conception and birth in fulfillment of God’s promises. Many people have noted the great contrast between Mary’s question to the angel – “How can this be?” – and Zechariah’s question. Mary’s question is spoken in faith, as we see by her response: “I’m the Lord’s servant. May your word to me be fulfilled.” Zechariah’s question is full of doubt and unbelief. It’s easy to criticize this long-suffering older brother for his lack of faith as we compare him to Mary. But I think I understand this old man – at least a little bit…
Mary is at the beginning of her faith journey – young, ready for anything, full of hope and courage. She has that energy and resilience of youth. Our brother Zechariah, on the other hand, is at the other end of life – he’s been beaten down by years of hardship and literally decades of disappointment, so let’s not be too hard on him. In the end, Zechariah sees the bigger picture – at least enough of it to renew his trust in the goodness of a God who really does have a plan, a plan that not only includes us, but a plan that will produce the highest good for us and the most glory for Him. If we can hang in there like Zechariah did, even through the delays, disappointments and heartbreak, we cannot lose – because God knows what He is doing.
And what about you, dear one? Maybe you are still carrying around the pain of some particular disappointment, or feeling hurt and forgotten. Maybe someone made promises and then let you down or hurt you deeply. Maybe there are people who owe you an apology, which you may or may not ever receive. But not God. He has never, ever, done you wrong or made a mistake in working out His plan for your life. What Zechariah and Elizabeth could not have known through all those long years of pain, was that God was setting them up for unimaginable privilege – to have a direct role in ushering in the Savior of mankind! They were key players in a story that would have an impact far beyond their small corner of the world, and their lives would forever serve as signposts pointing others to the One who is Faithful and Trustworthy.
And now? It’s our turn; each of us is invited to fulfill our role in the Big Story. “For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” (Romans 15:4). In this Christmas season I wish you perseverance, encouragement, and undefeated hope that will carry you beyond any and every disappointment.
In Jesus,
Paul Butler
Know This Love 