Read Luke 1:68-79 NIV
“Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel,
because he has come to his people and redeemed them.
He has raised up a horn of salvation for us
in the house of his servant David
(as he said through his holy prophets of long ago),
salvation from our enemies
and from the hand of all who hate us—
to show mercy to our ancestors
and to remember his holy covenant,
the oath he swore to our father Abraham:
to rescue us from the hand of our enemies,
and to enable us to serve him without fear
in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.
And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High;
for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him,
to give his people the knowledge of salvation
through the forgiveness of their sins,
because of the tender mercy of our God,
by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven
to shine on those living in darkness
and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the path of peace.”
Today’s verses come from a prophecy spoken by Zechariah at the birth of his son John – who would grow up to become John the baptist. Zechariah, a man well advanced in age, had been unable to speak while his wife was pregnant because he doubted God’s plan to give him a child. But he was silent no more! I love how you can hear the wonder, excitement, and anticipation of what God was about to do for His people in Zechariah’s words! I can almost imagine him hardly able to contain himself; a bright twinkling in his eyes and a heart full of joy as he begins to speak for the first time in a long time. No longer doubting, rejoicing in truth he understood to his core.
What a beautiful declaration of the salvation that was in store for us! Zechariah didn’t know exactly how it would all play out, but he knew that God was on the move and he proclaimed it boldly.
God,
I marvel at Your plan today, too! Mark my actions and my words with love and excitement for all that You came to do for us. Make me like Zechariah – hardly able to contain my joy, boldly proclaiming Your rescue and redemption through the gift of Jesus. Amen
