Waiting … Anticipating … Rejoicing

“Shout and be glad, Daughter Zion. For I am coming, and I will live among you,” declares the Lord. “Many nations will be joined with the Lord in that day and will become my people. I will live among you and you will know that the Lord Almighty has sent me to you. The Lord will inherit Judah as his portion in the holy land and will again choose Jerusalem. Be still before the Lord, all mankind, because he has roused himself from his holy dwelling.”

Zechariah 2:10-13

Zechariah penned these words inspired by the Holy Spirit an estimated 470-480 years before the coming of the Messiah. If I were Zechariah, I think I would’ve asked a few follow-up questions, maybe tried to pin God down on a date for the fulfillment of all these promises.

Wouldn’t you?

“Will you marry me?” A high-pitched squeal. “Oh, of course, you hunky stud! This is the happiest day of my life!” Six months go by. “When are we getting married?” “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in Heaven …” (O the trials of the bride of Christ!)

And so we wait. And wait. And wait. For the fulfillment of promises. For the return of Christ. For the marriage supper of the Lamb. For the perfection of Heaven. 

But here’s the interesting thing about this text: It tells us to shout and be glad (present tense - now!) because he is coming and will live among us (future tense). The wait God gives us is not one of drudgery, but one of anticipation and excitement.  

So shout for joy, my friend! For you are loved by the God who created the heavens and the earth and the sea and everything in them! You are the bride of Christ, and he is coming for you! Every tear shall be wiped from your eye, every provision shall be made for you, and you will dwell in the presence of God forever!

Rejoice today in your tomorrow!

Zechariah's Prayer

Luke 1:5-18

For years Zechariah and Elizabeth had prayed for a child, longing to be parents, but their prayer seemed unanswered. They were “righteous in the sight of God.” They were “good people,” but still Elizabeth was unable to conceive. By this time, any hope of being parents had vanished, as “they were both very old.”

But our God is a God of surprises, of the unexpected. He hears our prayers—no matter how big or small, simple or complex, straightforward or seemingly challenging—each and every prayer. He answers all of them.

God knew the longing of Zechariah's and Elizabeth’s hearts. He knew how much they wanted a child. When they least expected it, an angel appeared. Gabriel told Zechariah news that he never expected to hear: “Your wife Elizabeth will bear a son, and you are to call him John. He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord.”

My guess? Zechariah and Elizabeth never completely gave up; they continued to pray. And in God’s perfect timing, He answered their prayer. And He will answer yours as well.

QUESTIONS:

1. Have you ever prayed for something and it seemed as though God didn’t even hear you? How did you feel? How did you respond?

2. What are you praying for these days? Are you willing to trust God to answer in His perfect timing, In His perfect way?

PRAYER:

God of hope, in this season of wonder and awe, continue to surprise us with Your answers to our prayers, in ways only You could.

Becki Bork

Luke 19:28-44

Palm Sunday a Prophecy

According to http://bibleistrue.net/prophecy/ the Bible contains 1,817 individual predictions (prophesies) concerning 737 separate subjects found in 8,352 verses.

As Zechariah said the Lord would come some 500 years earlier, “humble and mounted on a donkey” (Zechariah 9:9). This prophesy came to be in Luke 19.

Isaiah 35:4-6 …say to those with fearful hearts, “Be strong, do not fear; your God will come with vengeance; with divine retribution He will save you. Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped. Then will the lame leap like deer and the mute tongue shout for joy. Water will gush forth in the wilderness and stream in the desert.” 

This prophesy from approximately 700 BC came true as well. Jesus performed a multitude of miracles during his time on earth making it clear he was not of this world.

In Isaiah 40 the coming of Our God was proclaimed and in Luke 3 John the Baptist humbly spoke of Jesus making himself known; “I baptize you with water. But one who is more powerful than I will come, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.” Jesus did indeed come, and you know the rest.

While the crowd (referred to in scripture as disciples) shouted for joy as He was carried into Jerusalem on the colt, Jesus wept over the city and its impending destruction. Those who lined the street knew who Jesus really was and what his coming meant to the world.

Though we read about the second coming of our Lord in many books of the Bible, we cannot understand just what it will be like. We can trust however, that it is right and true, just as all of the other predetermined events of this world. Rest in the words and deeds of Jesus, for He came to sacrifice His life so WE may live. 

 Read/Listen to Luke 19:28-44

What price for loyalty?

“I told them, ‘If you think it best, give me my pay; but if not, keep it.’ So they paid me thirty pieces of silver. And the Lord said to me, ‘Throw it to the potter’ ... So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the Lord to the potter.” Zechariah 11:12-13

What is my loyalty price point?  At what point to I exchange it for my own purposes?

Judas notoriously cashed his loyalty in for thirty pieces of silver.  Thirty pieces of silver, the restitution stipulated in the Law for a gored servant (Exodus 21:32).  And that’s what Zechariah's flock thought he was worth, too, for they likewise paid him thirty pieces of silver ... to just go away.

At God’s command, this Old Testament prophet cared for a flock as a good shepherd who protected and maintained a harmony for them. But they “detested” Zechariah to the point that he grew weary of them and acquiesced, saying, “I will not be your shepherd.” In good riddance, they gave him their token parting gift. And as Judas would also do more than 400 years later, Zechariah “took the thirty pieces of sliver and threw them into the house of the Lord to the potter.” Therein, God foretold the betrayal of his Son – the Good Shepherd – right down to the price for disloyalty and its return to insincere givers.

So, again, I have to ask ...  Is my loyalty to Jesus for sale?  If so, at what price is the “depth” of my devotion to him exposed?

Am I like the rich young man who “went away sad,” unwilling to forego his wealth, or am I like the disciples who “left everything” to follow Jesus? (See Mark 10:17-23.) 

Do I cling to the comfort and certainty of my own kingship, or do I exchange my Hasbro crown and Playskool scepter for “the pearl of great price” that is God’s kingship in and over my life? (See Matthew 13:45-46.) 

Do I disown Jesus, hiding him away in the shadow when in the presence of others, or do I acknowledge him before all, even at the cost of their rejection? (See Matthew 10:32-33.) 

Do I cling to my “confidence in the flesh” – a zeal, righteousness, and goodness of my own attempt – or do I, like Paul, “consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus” and his righteousness? (See Philippians 3:4b-9.)

The truth of the matter is, these are not “once and done” choices, rather we constantly make discipleship decisions amid unrelenting spiritual battle. That’s how, like Peter, we find ourselves leaving everything to follow Jesus one day, only to deny him later to avoid the rejection of others.

But what we value in our sin nature pales in comparison to what Christ has for those who love him, and our loyalty decisions become no-brainers when we consider the costs from both sides ...

Temporary riches of this world: thirty pieces of silver
My own would-be kingdom: thirty pieces of silver
Conditional acceptance from the world: thirty pieces of silver
A righteousness of my own making: thirty pieces of silver
Christ in me: priceless

(To read the story of Zechariah and his flock in Zechariah 11:4-17, click here.)

Luke 1:11-25 - Elizabeth's Son

Today we witness another birth announcement from an angel of The Lord. The description the angel gave to Zechariah, of the blessing this child will be to them, is one many new parents dream as they gaze upon their newborn.

Luke 1:14-15 (NIV)
“He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth.”

John the Baptizer, Jesus’ cousin is introduced to us in this Chapter of Luke. Again, we have an elderly couple long past childbearing years, being told they would soon have the son they had been praying for. I am sure Zechariah must have been stunned. Put yourself in his shoes, not only is he in the presence of and angel, but the angel is telling him something that for all intents and purposes is impossible.

Zechariah’s next words should have been something like, “Thank you, I am not worthy,” or “God be praised for answering our prayers,” but he did not respond in this fashion. No, his words were, “How can I be sure of this?” Zechariah’s reply did not result in his death or anything that severe, but his voice was taken away for a time.

When we pray for something, when we faithfully come before God and pour out our hearts, believing He will hear us and answer – that is faith. I don’t think Zechariah’s losing his voice was a punishment as much as a statement that God’s promises are not to be questioned. This time of silence for the priest served as a daily reminder of this until John was born.

Read Luke 1:11-25 here

Listen to Luke 1:11-25 here