In early November I returned to Arizona for a couple of days. On my drive from Phoenix to Tucson I had some revelatory moments. I share them here.
There are no safe places. True peace is never of the world. I’m learning that my life has been about escaping all the ties that bind my heart, mind and spirit while freely and ecstatically seeking God/my Creator. The bonus is coming into a fuller understanding of being in the world, not of it.
Hard times may come but times aren’t hard for always. Keep moving forward. The only person who can stop your progress is you.
Much love. Happy New Year.
Remember each new day arrives with new mercies. đ
Scripture Reference : Luke 1:13-18 ESV 13 But the angel said to him, âDo 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. 14 And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, 15 for he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his motherâs womb. 16 And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, 17 and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.â 18 And Zechariah said to the angel, âHow shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.â
With this vision, God who had been silent for 400 years effectively broke His silence and ushered in a new era. Yet in the wake of this stunning announcement, Zechariah unfortunately found himself merely preoccupied with the logistics of the plan. He was an old man. His body didnât work as it once did.
Would he be up for the task?
We find the angel graciously laying out the full plan about this coming babe. Zechariah and Elizabeth would personally find great joy and this joy would extend to many about them. The Holy Spirit would mark this child right from conception and he would have great standing before the Lord. Johnâs role would be instrumental in ushering in a new era for Godâs chosen people and freedom from sin would be the result.
Yet it is as though Zechariah heard none of this.
We can almost hear the self-talk in his head, âBut how will I get Elizabeth pregnant. If we were ever going to be pregnant wouldnât it have been by nowâŠâ So preoccupied with earthly realities he exhibited no room in his understanding for the extraordinary, for the miraculous, nor for the import, and the real point of the message. Messiah was close at hand! We get the impression that Zechariah missed most of the angelâs prophecy and promise; he was stuck on his humanity.
My, how easy it is to be in this same place!
But as we all know, Zechariah did come through, he did have what it takes, he did rise to the challenge. For after all, all Zechariah really had to do was show up. It was Godâs plan and Godâs work. And when it is Godâs plan and Godâs work He purposes to bring it about. We merely show up, and God does the rest. When we are faithful to do our part, to respond as He invites, to fully engage His visions and plan, risking to see if we have what it takes, our Messiah proves Himself to be very close at hand.
