Obeying
The angel said to Zechariah, “I am Gabriel! I stand in the very presence of God. It was he who sent me to bring you this good news! But now, since you didn’t believe what I said, you will be silent and unable to speak until the child is born. For my words will certainly be fulfilled at the proper time.”
Luke 1:19-20
I’m sure that Zechariah would have seen this as the biggest moment in his life. He was having the once-in-a- lifetime opportunity of presenting the incense offering in the temple. And there he was confronted with an angel who informed him that his elderly wife would soon give birth to a son. It would have been a startling moment for anyone but for a very old man, who had long since given up any thought of his wife having a baby, it was overwhelming. I don’t find it surprising that he asked the angel how he could be sure that this would happen. But the angel saw his refusal to believe his words as a sign of disobedience; as a result, he was mute until the time of John the Baptist’s birth.
Because the offering of the incense was a major moment in both the morning and evening prayers in the temple, there would always be a crowd waiting for the priest to emerge. The priest would normally offer the incense quickly, so the people were surprised when Zechariah stayed in the holy place for a long time. When he emerged and was unable to speak, the people immediately concluded that he must have seen a vision, and they weren’t wrong.
This fascinating account reminds us of the importance of trusting God. Zechariah was undoubtedly a good and godly man, and the news he received was completely amazing. But godly as he was, he hesitated. He wanted some additional proof that the angel’s words were correct. This is a good reminder to us all that we need to be instantly obedient to God’s will. When we know what he is calling us to do, we must believe it and get on with it!
QUESTION
Are you willing to be obedient to God, whatever he asks you to do?
PRAYER
Lord God, I know that your will for me is always best. Help me to become better at obeying you without question or delay. Amen