16 Many of the people of Israel will he bring back to the Lord their God. 17 And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”
Zechariah was a devout servant of God and with his wife Elizabeth, was found to be "upright in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commandments and regulations blamelessly. "
How many of us can claim these attributes? Yet, they too had things that were wanting in their lives. Elizabeth could not conceive and she considered it a disgrace in her life. Zechariah was a man who belonged to a long lineage of priesthood but at the moment of encountering God's prophecy face to face, he was found doubting.
I think it's somewhat funny how the angel reacted when Zechariah asked: "How can I be sure of this?"
I for one can relate to how Zechariah may have felt. There are countless times when I faced a dilemma and could not be sure of God's promises. In those moments, I had wished for some kind of reassurance; perhaps a sign.
Gabriel was not amused by Zechariah's lack of confidence in his message to this old man. I wonder how many times God may have felt like what Gabriel may have felt and wanted to react to my doubts with something like, "Well, you want a sign? Here's a sign! "Be silent, be still, BEHAVE in that corner until all that I said will come true at their proper time!"
I'm so glad and thankful that God has been much more gracious to me than I deserve.
And in His proper timing, God has taken away Elizabeth's 'disgrace'. By no fault of her own, Elizabeth was childless all her life and by no means or ability of her own, she became pregnant in her old age. I'm sure each of us has a certain want, a lacking, a disgrace in our life. Let us be certain as was Elizabeth that it is by God's favor that all our needs are met, all our wants fulfilled, and our doubts rebuked.
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2 comments:
thanks lynn for a wonderfully insighful reflection. i think you point out an important distinction between the Bible's understanding of righteousness and our own. we often think of righteousness as perfect living--but what is God's understanding? in the case of abraham, it is stated that "he believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness". in the sight of God, believing and trusting in Him constitutes righteousness. He does not expect perfect living--but if we believe Him, we will be found righteous in His eyes.
zechariah was not perfect, but he was righteous in God's sight--we know this by his "observing all the Lord's commandments and regulations blamelessly". with all the failures and disgraces in our own lives, it is wonderful to know that we, too, are considered righteous in God's sight if we believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.
our part is to believe; when we do, God will work in us the practical righteousness, the "perfect" living that we could never hope to attain by our own effort or strength.
Thank you, Lynn, for your thoughts and words. Today's passages tells me that even the best of God's people doubt and fail, which is strange because you can't even fathom in them failing. But as everyone said, we're not perfect, but it is through that grace that He shows on us that we pick ourselves up and keep on going. It's liberating in a strange way to know that you can come before God, just as you are, but I know that doesn't license us keep living in our old ways. But knowing that there is God's grace, it takes away the stress over our guilt and it brings great comfort too as we walk down the road to sanctification.
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