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Now while he [Zechariah] was serving as priest … there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. And Zechariah was troubled when he saw 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 call his name John. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great before the Lord.” (Luke 1:8a, 11-12a, 13-15a)
What a gift God is giving to Zechariah and Elizabeth! After hundreds of years of silence, God is finally acting as He did in the old days—sending a miracle baby to people past the age of childbearing, and giving that baby a mission. And what is that mission? To “turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, … to make ready for the Lord a people prepared” (Luke 1:16b,17b).
Prepared for what? Why, for God Himself to come into our world—to insert Himself into the human race as one of us, a true human being, who comes to live and to die and to rise again, all in order to rescue us from the powers of evil. Zechariah’s son John will prepare the way for that to happen—for Jesus to become our Savior.
What an amazing gift! And God has given Zechariah the privilege of being part of it. And He has given us the privilege of knowing about it, and rejoicing in it, and welcoming Jesus as our own Savior.
WE PRAY: Thank You, dear Lord, for coming to us. What a gift You are to me! Amen.
Reflection Questions:
- What is the best gift you ever received (not counting Jesus)?
- If Jesus is a gift, who gave Him? Why?
- Is He a gift you get to keep forever? Why or why not?
Advent Devotions were written by Dr. Kari Vo.
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