Sorry I have been less than faithful with my blog the last few days. I hope it hasn't upset you guys too much. I know how much you blissfully anticipate my new posts day after day ;o)
Anyway, back to reality.
God has a plan for your life. I know that he does. And although we can be for certain that God has a plan, the details of that plan are a little more difficult to ascertain. In fact, sometimes, God's plan for you can seem so completely illogical that you simply cannot believe that your life will move in His direction.
Luke 1:11-20
Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. 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 give him the name 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. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth. Many of the people of Israel will he bring back to the Lord their God. 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-- tomake ready a people prepared for the Lord."
Zechariah asked the angel, "How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years."
The angel answered, "I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words which will come true at their proper time."
God had an amazing plan for the life of Zechariah and his wife Elizabeth. Through them he would bring John the Baptist who would become the prophet in the spirit of Elijah preparing the way for Christ.
But Zechariah couldn't see how it would all work out. He was old. His wife was old. He was ready to start drawing social security and retire. If this were true, he was going to be tossed back into a lifestyle of diapers and drool; baby food and patience. If God was going to do this, Zechariah needed to know for certain that what the angel was saying to him was true.
Now think about this for a minute. Zechariah is a priest. He is in the temple of the Most High God. He sees an angel who gives him this message... why is THE FACT THAT HIS WIFE WILL HAVE A SON such a hard thing to believe. For Pete's sake he's talking to an ANGEL! Not only that, but according to Gabriel, he was already PRAYING FOR A SON! (See verse 13 that states, "your prayer has been heard."
As a consequence to his unbelief Gabriel takes his speech from him until John is born.
When God lays our His plan for our life, or when He reveals portions of that plan to you, it is so much easier to ask God for a sign or a golden fleece to prove to us that the promises He has made are true than it is to trust His word. But God is trustworthy and will follow through with His promises. How can I be sure?
Has He let you down yet?
1 comment:
This reminds me of a conversation I had with a friend last week. I was anxious about an upcoming event, and in discussing my fears I said, "What if God doesn't work it out? What if He's not faithful this time?" My friend belly laughed in my face and said, "Kristen, that is the most ignorant thing I have ever heard you say." It was true. We've been friends for many years, and I've said a lot of dumb things, but I'm certain, that was the dumbest.
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