Luke Chapter 1: Verses 6-7 (NIV-UK)
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 Chapter 1: Verse 13 (NIV-UK)
But the angel said to him: ‘Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John.”
In my Old Testament readings today in the book of Leviticus, God outlines the consequences that would befall the Israelites if they wilfully disobeyed God. Whilst we sometimes find ourselves in circumstances which are a result of our own actions, there are others which are not. We see in this record of the birth of John the Baptist. John’s parents were living a righteous life before God, but had not been blessed with children. At this stage in their lives, they were very old. They had obviously prayed for a child in their younger days, but that prayer had not been answered at the time they would have hoped. Yet they still continued to live before God as they should, even if it appeared that God had not answered their prayer. Then, in God’s time that prayer was answered.
If we don’t get the answer to prayer that we hope for, how do we react? Are we like Zecheriah and Elizabeth – do we continue to pursue our Christian walk as we should, or do we go in the huff. Do we even perhaps turn our back on God?
Zecheriah and Elizabeth knew that they were walking in the right way, and even although they must have been disappointed, they trusted that God knew what He was doing. And He does. We can’t put pressure on God just to get what we want. Perhaps in the fulness of time, God will give us the answer to our prayer, but it may not be the answer we want. God knows what’s best for us and we need to trust Him, even in our disappointment.
Dear Lord,
Help me to follow Zecheriah and Elizabeth’s example and to do my best to walk righteously before You, no matter what. I ask in Jesus’ Name. Amen.