Zechariah was troubled when he saw the angel, and fear gripped him. But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall name him John. You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice over his birth. For he will be great in the sight of the Lord; and he will drink no wine or liquor, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit while still in his mother’s womb. And he will turn many of the sons of Israel back to the Lord their God. And it is he who will go as a forerunner before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of fathers back to their children, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”
Now after these days his wife Elizabeth became pregnant, and she kept herself in seclusion for five months, saying, “This is the way the Lord has dealt with me in the days when He looked with favor upon me, to take away my disgrace among people.” Luke 1:12-17, 24-25 (NASB)
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Elizabeth's child was a gift from God to her and Zechariah. Having a son took away the disgrace she had borne as a barren woman and gave her life a new and holy purpose. Her son would be a gift to the Jewish nation, too, for God had a special plan for his life.
The angel announced to Zechariah that his son, to be named John, would “be great in the sight of the Lord.” Jesus reiterated this when he told the crowds, “among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptist!” (Matthew 11:11 NASB) Zechariah's son will not be just the last of the Old Testament prophets but also the “ Elijah who was to come.” (Matthew 11:14 NASB) John was the zealous herald of a new covenant as he not only proclaimed the coming of the Messiah to his people but exhorted them to prepare their hearts for his arrival.
God sometimes gives us gifts at the most unexpected times and places. We may not always be prepared for them but we need to pause our busy lives to recognize and be grateful for them and use them for God's glory. As we take a break from endless shopping and indulging in the almost glutinous eating habits of the holidays, may we pause and be grateful for the One who is our greatest treasure and satisfaction — the One to whom John pointed, the One who gave up the glories of heaven to become a part of his creation, born of peasant parents, living a humble, sacrificial life. Jesus is our greatest gift. Let us praise and thank him during this season and use his story for God's glory.
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Holy God, you are the awesome God of joy and glory, the giver of perfect gifts. You deserve all my praise. I thank you for being a greater treasure than I can imagine, a treasure always here waiting to be savored. Please help me to pause each day and relish your presence in the midst of the hustle and bustle of the holidays. To You be the glory! Amen.
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“Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. www.lockman.org
Illustration from Good News Productions International and College Press Publishing
I loved the final line “ Jesus is our greatest gift. Let us Praise and Thank Him during this season and use His story for God's Glory! “
Often times during this Christmas season like everyone else I’m stressing out trying to find the “perfect gift “ that will be loved for that day, and spend the new year wishing I hadn’t spent that much money but more intentional time with family instead. If I spend more time with the Savior I can savor the time I spend with Him and my family. Thanks again Sandy!