Advent Devotional  |  December 12, 2020

In the time of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron. Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commands and decrees blamelessly. But they were childless because Elizabeth was not able to conceive, and they were both very old. Luke 1:5-7

Before the birth of Jesus, there was another unexpected pregnancy. Zechariah and Elizabeth were both descendants of the line of Aaron. Their family was designated to serve in the presence of God. They had both the right background and the right faith to be the parents of the prophet who would pave the way for Jesus; however, they were unable to conceive, or so they thought. If this concept is starting to sound familiar, you’re right. God always follows through on His promises, and He always provides. This couple prayed and trusted in God, but one doubted while the other had faith.

One day while Zechariah was fulfilling his priestly duty, he was visited by the angel Gabriel. Fear gripped Zechariah, but the angel calmed him and told him that his prayers had been answered. This news was unbelievable and unexpected. So, like any man in his circumstance would likely do, he asked Gabriel for proof. This was a big mistake. Because of his unbelief and request for a sign, Zechariah was rendered mute until the day of his son’s birth. How hard is it to take the word of an angel who stood in the presence of God? I’m sure Zechariah had nine long, drawn-out months of contemplation while being unable to speak. We learn here that we can take God for His Word and that God is willing to remind people of that.

Our faith should mirror that of Zechariah’s wife, Elizabeth. Her response to the pregnancy was not one of doubt but belief. “The Lord has done this for me,” she exclaimed. When we live in a mindset of humble anticipation, expecting God to act as He promised, we live like Elizabeth. How easy is it to doubt? Very. This Advent season, we’ve continued to look at how God has fulfilled His promises. Keeping this fact in mind will serve as a guardrail to keep you headed down the road of faith. Remember to trust God because He’s an unfailing provider.

Pastor Dave Mergens