Today's Reading: Luke 1:67-80

Devo Author: Rodney Holmstrom

Date: December 17, 2022

When I reflect on my life before Christ, I recall how much I had rejected God in disobedience, doubt, and unbelief. It amazes me to think that God would still want anything to do with me, let alone forgive me. But I can now look back and see how the Lord relentlessly pursued me. Even when I was trying to run from Him, God never left my side. I was the one who did the running. When I finally turned toward God and invited Him into my life, I was so grateful for the gift of grace and mercy. I will never be able to fully comprehend the full magnitude and weight of this gift.

And as if that wasn’t enough, God went a step further and reminded me that He didn’t want to just forgive me but also to use me for His glory in the ministry of Celebrate Recovery. He didn’t waste my past hurts. Mercifully and graciously, He still chose to use me through the power of the Holy Spirit living and breathing inside of me. I never expected that God would be able to use me with all the poor choices I made in the past. He did and continues to today.

On a much larger scale, Zechariah walked into a season of personal unbelief on what he thought God could and would do in his own life. As a result of his unbelief, as we learned in prior verses, God made him silent. What’s amazing, however, is how God not only turned Zechariah’s life around by blessing him with a new son, God also turned around and allowed Zechariah to give the most amazing prophecy in the Bible. After the birth of his own son, Zechariah, feeling the weight of what he was given, was filled with, and inspired by the Holy Spirit. His heart response was to praise God for deliverance, as well as celebrating the significant role his own son, John, would play in preparing the way for the true King, a Rescuer, and ultimately the Salvation from our enemies.

This incredible story should invoke a heart of gratitude on two fronts. First, in knowing that much like Zechariah, our past mistakes won’t end our ministry when we surrender our life to Christ. And second, this is a significant life changing message of hope for all who would listen, believe, and receive. What a gift!

I’m grateful for Zechariah’s obedience to carry this message forward. How are you celebrating God’s gift and what He is doing in and through your life today? How is God using you in your brokenness to bring hope to others? How will you say “yes” to God by surrendering and carrying the message of mercy, grace, and hope forward to others who need to experience the same incredible gift?

This story is too big to keep to ourselves. Let’s respond with gratitude by sharing this with someone who longs to hear this message.