Today's Reading: Luke 1:21-25

Devo Author: Derek Horn

Date: December 12, 2022

Zechariah had prayed through long, lean years for a child. He and Elizabeth had many reasons for experiencing God’s blessings: their ancestry, they were righteous before the Lord and they were obedient to the Lord’s commandments. From the outside looking in, you could say they were living up to their calling. But there was something missing. Luke 1:7 (ESV) contains these words: "But they had no child." For these two, this was a burden they carried. They lived without hope of ever having a child. Have you sought to live a righteous life, yet your faithfulness seemed to lead you to unexpected places? Have you ever thought that your life didn’t turn out how you thought it would, it had fallen short in some aspect? Could you say that in some areas, your life has been barren? Remember Zechariah. It was too late from the natural viewpoint to have a son. But Zechariah had not forgotten his altar and his duty. There seemed so little to be thankful for, yet he kept offering incense, a symbol of thanksgiving. He kept walking in faith, being steadfast in prayer. Waiting on the Lord. For him, unmet expectations seemed to be his destiny. Then, an angel appeared! The herald from heaven announced a son. Who would have thought?

Sometimes, God waits until it seems too late for us; but it is never too late with Him. Unfortunately, Zechariah was doubtful. And doubt dims our vision. But God never fails, even though people do. God is faithful even when we are faithless. When the baby was born, Elizabeth gave God the glory, and when they named their son, they followed the divine direction of God. It was His work and He would get all the glory and credit!

When my wife Kiplyn was pregnant with our firstborn, he was breach inside the womb. This is very dangerous for the baby and the mother. As the birth came closer, the doctor had scheduled a time to turn the baby. This is very painful and proved to be a stressful time for us as a couple. The weeks of stress, doubt, and worry were coming to a culminating point. The night before the procedure, the doctor checked again and sure enough the baby had not turned. We had prayed the Lord would turn him many times, but there had been no reprieve. As we drove to the doctor early the next morning, we were very anxious. We called one of our family members for support and they assured us that God’s hand was upon our son. We had peace that God was with us, yet we still had to walk into that doctor’s office. As Kiplyn laid down on the table, the doctor checked one more time to see if the baby was breech. And just like that, she took off her gloves and said, “You guys can go home, the baby has turned!” God was faithful. Sometimes God waits until it seems too late for us; but it is never too late with Him.