Hello,

We join with the neighbours and relatives of Zechariah and Elizabeth as years of trial from barrenness and disgrace among their people finally end with the miraculous gift of a son.

We all face trials throughout our lives.  In Psalm 30 David reflects on one of his many trials and says in v5 The deepest pains may linger through the night,but joy greets the soul with the smile of morning.  I love that!  Hope is real!

Photo by Karen Way – Sunrise over Mounts Bay Cornwall

Luke testifies to the transformation in Zechariah when Holy Spirit opens his eyes to see Jesus. Hope is quite literally born.  This Godly man testifies to Jesus as Lord as he names his own son writing on the tablet “His name is John”


The Birth of John the Baptist

57 When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son. 58 Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy.
59 On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zechariah, 60 but his mother spoke up and said, “No! He is to be called John.”
61 They said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who has that name.”
62 Then they made signs to his father, to find out what he would like to name the child. 63 He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s astonishment he wrote, “His name is John.” 64 Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue set free, and he began to speak, praising God. 65 All the neighbors were filled with awe, and throughout the hill country of Judea people were talking about all these things.66 Everyone who heard this wondered about it, asking, “What then is this child going to be?” For the Lord’s hand was with him.

Zechariah’s Song

67 His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied:
68 “Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel,
    because he has come to his people and redeemed them.
69 He has raised up a horn of salvation for us
    in the house of his servant David
70 (as he said through his holy prophets of long ago),
71 salvation from our enemies
    and from the hand of all who hate us—
72 to show mercy to our ancestors
    and to remember his holy covenant,
73     the oath he swore to our father Abraham:
74 to rescue us from the hand of our enemies,
    and to enable us to serve him without fear
75     in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.
76 And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High;
    for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him,
77 to give his people the knowledge of salvation
    through the forgiveness of their sins,
78 because of the tender mercy of our God,
    by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven
79 to shine on those living in darkness
    and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the path of peace.”

 

80 And the child grew and became strong in spirit; and he lived in the wilderness until he appeared publicly to Israel.

The listening crowd were shocked by this breach in family custom, for John is found nowhere in the family.  Yet  Zechariah and Elizabeth in surrendered obedience state John which means ‘God is gracious.’

Immediately Zechariah can speak and he begins to praise God. 
The shocked neighbours are now filled with awe.  
What is this child going to be?Then Zechariah is filled with The Holy Spirit and begins to praise and worship God flows in prophetic declaration.
“Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; for he has come to his people and redeemed them.” 
All Zechariah knows as a priest connects and Old Testament gives way to the New Covenant where the presence of God is revealed to all mankind.  Christ has come to live in us!
Do I dare to believe I AM chosen to carry The Hope of God?  – Yes you truly are!
Start a conversation with Father God…what does your hope look like in me?
What gifts and abilities has God given to enable you to be a carrier of hope?
Perhaps today you are facing trials in your own life – ask God to fill you afresh with His hope.   

Through Christ in us people will receive knowledge of their freedom as they receive God’s forgiveness of sins.

A New day is dawning, the kindness, compassion and mercy of God breaks into lives like a Sunrise from heaven breaking through our darkness.

I love Holy Spirit!!   He opens my eyes to see Jesus and carry His Hope.
 
Pat Barrett on the album Housefires II leads us in worship with “The Wick”

The words depict our hearts as a wick and God’s love as a flame.  We give our lives to burn for His name.

 

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