God Shows Up

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. 
 
JUST going about his day, doing his duties, being a good priest, and BAM! God’s messenger, Gabriel suddenly stands before Zechariah! With a response that is common to all who meet an angel from God, Zechariah is gripped with fear. Why?
    It is because God’s holiness suddenly confronts this mortal man born in Adam’s sin. He sees his sin before God’s perfection and fears for his life. Gabriel has directly come from heaven’s glorious throne room. He brings heaven’s stunning beauty and glory with him. Zechariah’s sin-dirty soul is terrified. The disciples experienced this same terror in Matthew 17:6 When the disciples heard this (God’s voice), they fell facedown to the ground, terrified. How does Zechariah stand up amid his fear?
    He quickly realizes he has also come face-to-face with God’s grace. God’s grace is in Gabriel’s voice telling Zechariah a wonderful gift to Zechariah and Elizabeth is coming from God. They will soon welcome a son, long prayed for, no longer hoped for into their lives. In fact, as Gabriel said, “Your prayer has been heard.” I wonder how long it had been since the couple had prayed for a son? Over 60 years old they had surely for many years resigned themselves to no son.
    Have you ever experienced such a prayer answer? You prayed passionately and consistently, but God was silent. You stopped. And years later you one day saw God say, “Yes, your prayer has been heard.”
    Even more, God’s gift is more than a son. The gift is John, one who will bring joy to his parents. And more magnificently, John will “be great in the sight of the Lord…and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth.”
    John is one-of-a-kind. Of course, he is the one to announce the Christ. He is the prophet all prophets longed to be-the one who would see the Messiah.
    But for now, let’s celebrate with Zechariah God’s promised gift to come soon. God is will inaugurate his Kingdom on earth, so we, too, can come face-to-face with God. 
 
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.