Your Prayer Has Been Heard

Luke 1:11-15 Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. 12 When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. 13 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 give him the name John. 14 He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, 15 for he will be great in the sight of the LORD. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth.”
 
ZECHARIAH was completing his sacred priestly duties, obedient to God’s law. Suddenly God’s messenger, Gabriel, stood next to the altar. In God’s story, the Holy Bible, each person a messenger from God so suddenly confronts is as Zechariah, gripped with fear. Fear is concern for physical safety. Fear is also appropriate honor and worship. This worshipful fear forms one’s heart to submit to God’s authority.  
    Gabriel has come directly from heaven’s throne. He brings heaven’s glory with him, and Zechariah’s sin-weakened soul is terrified. James, Peter and John experienced this same terror at Jesus’ Transfiguration: Matthew 17:6 When the disciples heard this God’s voice, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified. How then does Zechariah remain on his feet amid his fear?
    Amid God’s holiness is God’s grace. Another truth of people’s experience with God’s holy manifestations is to quickly realize they are face-to-face with God’s grace. Gabriel assures Zechariah that God is sending a wonderful gift to Zechariah and Elizabeth. They will soon welcome into their lives a son they had long prayed for but at this point no longer hoped God would grant their desire. When Gabriel said, “Your prayer has been heard.” do you wonder if Zechariah though, “What prayer? Which one?” How long had it been since the couple over 60 years old had had prayed for a son?
    Have you ever experienced such a prayer answer? You prayed passionately and consistently, but God was silent. You believed he said, “No.” So you stopped praying. Then one day years later you heard God say, “Yes, your prayer has been heard.” His answers to your prayers are, “Yes.” “No.” “Later.” “Different than you expected.” “More than you prayed to receive.” That is why Jesus taught us to pray, “Your will be done in my life, LORD God.” We must be ready to receive his answers.
    God’s answer to Zechariah and Elizabeth is, “More than you prayed to receive.” The answer is John, one who will bring great joy, awe and wonder to his parents.
    Even more magnificently, John will “be great in the sight of the Lord…and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth.”
    We’ll learn more of John as we continue in Luke. For now, let’s celebrate with Zechariah God’s promised gift will come soon. God is about to inaugurate his Kingdom on earth, so we, too, can come face-to-face with God’s grace. 
 
Prayer: Oh Lord God, you are holy, but in my sin, I am not. Create in me a clean heart as I receive Jesus’ sacrificial blood over my soul. In his name, I pray, amen.