Play or Fold? In or Out? (Luke 1:57-66)

One day, an old priest, Zechariah was minding his own business - doing the same old temple job he had done for many years. He'd go inside the sanctuary and light incense while the congregation prayed outside. Just another day- just another dollar. But wait! Suddenly, he is aware that he is not alone in the sanctuary - something is with him. It is an angel and it scares the bejimidies out of him. Then to top it off, the angel says his old wife, Elizabeth, is going to have a very important baby.

You and I might assume that a priest would have the kind of faith that when an angel shows up in the holy sanctuary, they'd expect it. But not Zechariah. You and I might also assume that a priest would expect miracles too. But not Zechariah. In fact, Zechariah doubts the angel's message openly. So the angel takes away his ability to speak. (Note to Self: When an angel shows up - believe what it tells you.)

Luke 1:57 - 66 ⁵⁷ Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son. ⁵⁸ Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown his great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her. ⁵⁹ On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him Zechariah after his father. ⁶⁰ But his mother said, "No; he is to be called John." ⁶¹ They said to her, "None of your relatives has this name." ⁶² Then they began motioning to his father to find out what name he wanted to give him. ⁶³ He asked for a writing tablet and wrote, "His name is John." And all of them were amazed. ⁶⁴ Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue freed, and he began to speak, praising God. ⁶⁵ Fear came over all their neighbors, and all these things were talked about throughout the entire hill country of Judea. ⁶⁶ All who heard them pondered them and said, "What then will this child become?" For, indeed, the hand of the Lord was with him.

God has a plan. And we have a choice. We can choose to play a positive role or a negative role in God's plan. God doesn't need us to make things happen, but he'd like for us to have the joy of participating in a positive way. But if not, he works around us. God is just that powerful. God is just that sovereign.

But Zechariah hasn't been tending to his faith. He has gotten comfortable with the ordinary. The supernatural scares him. And instead of running out of the temple and telling everyone that his wife will give birth to the one who will prepare the way for the Messiah, he chooses to doubt. God's plan isn't thwarted. God's plan will still happen, but Zechariah doesn't get to play the role he might have played. He doesn't get to share in the joy that he might have shared in. For the next nine months, he can't even speak. He has to sit this one out. Bummer.

So what are you and I going to choose to do? Will we choose to believe - to embrace Jesus? Or will we choose to doubt? God's plan will happen either way.  But with faith, we experience the happenings in our lives in a whole new way - we interpret them with new understandings. Without faith, we miss out.  Together, let's choose faith!! And watch for the angel and the miracles!!