"In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah ... and he had a wife named
Elizabeth” (Luke 1:5)
In the hill country of Judea we meet the elderly couple. We are told “they were both righteous before God,
walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord. But they had no child, because
Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years” (Luke 1:6).
They must have begged God for a child, questioned “why?”, pleaded for an answer ... but as years passed
they gradually accepted a sovereign silence and humbly bowed to the circumstances life had dealt them.
We are told they remained “righteous before God”. How easy to reject a God we don’t agree with! How
tempting to become angry and bitter to a God who doesn’t answer our questions! How often pain shrivels
our love and trust! Yet this couple continued to trust in the midst of sorrow and shame, to accept even
though they could not rejoice.
And then the wonderful story unfolds – the angel Gabriel sent from God to Zechariah with the
unbelievable news that a baby would be born in his old age! Not just any baby! No, a baby who had been
prophesied over 600 years earlier by the prophet Isaiah, as well as the prophet Malachi. This baby would
be named “John” and would prepare the way for the Messiah, the Savior of the world!
Zechariah knew the scriptures. He had read the prophecies and knew the meaning of such a child: the
herald of the Christ! Yet he also remembered the age of his wife, the years of dashed hopes .... how dare
he hope again? The story records his unbelief, but also the faithfulness of God’s promises. Against all
odds, in spite of obstacles, God’s plan will not be thwarted! He had a plan to save a world full of pain and
doubt. How often we feel abandoned, alone, without hope – yet God’s wonderful plan can pierce that
pain and scatter our doubt. We are called to trust when life doesn’t make sense, to submit when we may
not agree, to learn He is a God who has a plan for our lives and our confusing world!
We read that in the sixth month of Elizabeth’s miraculous pregnancy her cousin Mary came to visit. Mary
had just received the absolutely astounding news that she – a young virgin from Nazareth – was to be the
earthly mother of a heavenly Child! It must have been nearly beyond comprehension! We read her
shocked question to the mighty angel Gabriel “How can this be?!” At a time like this how young Mary
needed the strength and support of Zechariah and Elizabeth! It calmed her turbulent heart to see the
miracle God had performed in their lives. While the village of Nazareth would surely be abuzz with juicy
gossip of a pregnant, unwed girl (and the punishment for such immorality was severe!) how Mary needed
a refuge from wagging tongues! How quick we humans can be to spread rumors of matters we only half
understand! What untold agony we can inflict with a critical word or look.
Oh! To have more comforting refuges like Zechariah and Elizabeth! Can we be an anchor to hold the boat
steady in the storms? Can those needing courage and comfort come to us like Mary did to her cousin?