Devotion:
Read Luke 1:1-7.
Zechariah and his wife, Elizabeth, had struggled with the disappointment of being childless. They probably wondered why they had not been blessed to become parents. In those days, people often thought it was a curse to be childless, so Zechariah and Elizabeth may also have thought they had done something wrong and were being punished by God. Until God intervened, this had also happened to the parents of Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Samson, and Samuel which is quite a list of some of the most famous people in Israel’s history. By breaking into the lives of his people in amazing ways, God showed that nothing is too hard for him. Through these births, God displayed his amazing grace that would one day be seen in the most special birth of all.
There is something about unexplained struggles that can lead us to question ourselves and even God. We can’t understand why when we have tried so hard to do all of the right things, that difficult situations arise. Zechariah’s misery ended in an unexpected way as God prepared for the coming of the promised Messiah. God’s presence can bring surprising blessings to situations that may seem hopeless. God chose to come in the form of a baby which was quite a surprise.
Personal Worship Option:
Lord, we pray for miracles, and yet we have doubts when you break into our world in marvelous ways. Send us grace that renews us, and help us to receive it. Amen.
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