Read Luke 1:5–25
‘Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well on in years.” The angel said to him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their appointed time.”’ (vv18–20)
Zechariah was a priest who loved God’s Word and God’s things. Luke tells us that both Zechariah and his wife Elizabeth were righteous and blameless people before God (v6).
Yet when the angel Gabriel appeared to Zechariah to announce that his wife was pregnant, he struggled to believe it (v18). As a consequence of his disbelief, Zechariah was temporarily unable to speak (v20).
Like Zechariah, we too can become familiar with the things of God yet fail to allow the reality and enormity of the truths of God’s Word to sink in and impact our lives.
Christmas is one such time when we speak and hear about a story familiar to many of us.
Yet it can be easy for us to lose the wonder and amazement of this Advent season, perhaps even weary of hearing some of the same carols and stories at this time of year.
As we think about the Christmas story, God Himself becoming flesh, breaking into history, our Lord and Saviour reversing the curse of sin and death – may we never lose the awe of this Christmas season. The hymn exhorts us to sing:
Joy to the world, the Lord is come,
Let earth receive her King.
Let every heart prepare Him room,
And heaven and nature sing.
A PRAYER TO MAKE:
‘Lord, may I never lose the wonder of Christmas. Help me to celebrate this season with freshness. Amen.’
AN ACTION TO TAKE:
Ponder the wonder of the Christmas story. Think about how you might share this with someone.
SCRIPTURE TO CONSIDER:
Isa. 7:13–17; Micah 5:1–15; Matt. 1:18–25; Luke 1:46– 56
