Birth

Good Morning everyone. Life is beautiful today! I am so blessed to be able to get up, make some coffee and sit at this computer and write. Look at your blessings all around you and be thankful for them. Let's jump into Luke. Yesterday we looked at who Luke was. It is always good to know something about the writer. So we will start with verse 5. By the way, if it is in parenthesis then it is my word not Gods. "In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron. Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, observing all the Lord's commands and decrees blamelessly. (I wish I could say that I followed all the Lord's commands blamelessly.) But they were childless because Elizabeth was not able to conceive, and they were both very old. (Why do you think they would put in there that they were childless? Back then they had multiple children and not to even to have one would have been a disgrace. Almost like people would look at them and question what they did to make the Lord mad. It also says they were very old, probably beyond child bearing years.) Once when Zechariah's division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go to the temple of the Lord and burn incense. And when the time for the burning of the incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside. Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense.(Okay imagine your are going about your duties and all the people are outside praying waiting on you and an angel just appears before you, what would you do? I would be terrified.) When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was griped with fear. (If the angel startled Zechariah then we know that the angel was not there when he started his duties. Also he was says he was griped with fear, that means he could not move or even speak. Fear had taken over. Have you ever been that scared? And guess what he was a priest.) But the angel said to him, 'Do not be afraid,Zechariah, your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John. (Notice the angel comforts him first and then tells him why the angel has appeared. His prayers have been answered. He is gonna be a daddy. How would you respond? The angel even told them what to name him so they didn't have to fight over a name.) He will be a joy and a delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. (How would you feel if an angel just told that not some but many will rejoice because of your child's birth? I think I would be a little terrified as to what God has in store for my child. I am just being honest.And how would you feel knowing that your child will be great in the eyes of Lord? You know God is about to use your child for something great.) He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born. (Okay now how would you react? The angel is telling you that inside the womb, your child is already filled with the Holy Spirit and the angel is telling you how to raise him to be this delight before the Lord's eyes?) He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. (Okay hold up, you are telling me that my child is going to bring people back to God that has already deserted God! That is a lot to take in.) And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous- to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. ( So you are telling me he is going to have the Holy Spirit already and the power of a great prophet like Elijah. How do you think Zechariah felt? He must be scared now more than ever. An angel just appeared and told him what his child is going to do so he can pave the way for our Lord, Jesus Christ.) Okay tomorrow we will look at Zechariah's response. Do you think the Lord still works this way? Please answer. I do. Have a blessed day!