The Everyday Prayer

Re:Verse passage – Luke 1:57-80 (day seven)

But his mother answered and said, “No indeed; but he shall be called John.” […] and they made signs to his father, as to what he wanted him called. Luke 1:60, 62

We know that Zacharias was mute, but was it more? As the community implored Elizabeth to name the child Zacharias, they begin to try to get his attention with signals. Mute people can hear just fine; why didn’t they just speak? It would appear that he was deaf and dumb (or at least to them), which makes the fact that Elizabeth knew the name of the child all the more miraculous. Whether he had written it for her previously, or if the Holy Spirit revealed the name of the child to her through discernment, it is clear that Elizabeth was listening to the Lord!

Elizabeth was not a passive recipient in Zacharias’ calling. She had the authority and boldness to proclaim John’s name as a fact. It wasn’t the priest who was the primary theological voice in this moment; it was the faithful mother. This is only the beginning of how the Messiah is going to flip the world upside down.  God has called us all to be a part of His plan for eternity. Will you join Him?

Re:Verse passage – Luke 1:57-80 (day six)

In Luke 1:67, the Holy Spirit fills Zechariah, and immediately, he speaks about Jesus. After months of silence, his first words are not about his son’s significance, his own suffering, or Israel’s political future. They are about God’s faithfulness and the coming Savior. This is one of the clearest signs of the Spirit’s work: the Spirit always bears witness to the Son.

The signs of the Spirit are not power, wealth, or influence. Nor does he draw attention to human achievement. Instead, he opens mouths to proclaim Jesus, his mercy, his kingdom, his salvation.

This invites an honest question: What do our words reveal about what fills us? When the Spirit is at work, Jesus becomes central. Our stories, hopes, and longings begin to orbit around him.

Re:Verse passage – Luke 1:57-80 (day five)

How do you pray for your children and grandchildren?  More importantly, what do you pray for your children and grandchildren?

I want to borrow the words of J.C. Ryle as he comments on Luke’s Gospel-

This is the portion that we ought to seek for our children. It is the best portion, the happiest portion, the only portion that can never be lost, and will endure beyond the grave. It is good to have over them “the hand“ of teachers and instructors; but it is better to still have “the hand of the Lord.” We may be thankful if they obtain the patronage of the great and the rich. But we ought to care far more for their obtaining the favour of God. The Hand of the Lord is a thousand times better than the hand of Herod. The one is weak, foolish, and uncertain; caressing today, and be heading tomorrow. The other is almighty, all-wise, and unchangeable. Where it holds it holds forevermore. Let us bless God that the Lord never changes. What he was in John the Baptist’s days, he is now. What he did for the son of Zacharias, he can do for our boys and girls. But he waits to be entreated. If we would have the hand of the Lord with our children, we must diligently seek it.

Let’s pray (beginning today) frequently and fervently, with great hope and joy, for God’s hand (and all that it means) to be on our children and grandchildren!

Re:Verse passage – Luke 1:57-80 (day four)

There is a character in this story that is easily overlooked – the company of “neighbors and relatives” mentioned in verse 58. This community intentionally came to rejoice with Elizabeth and Zacharias over the mercy God had shown them. This reflects the kind of community Paul calls us to in Romans 12:15, “Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.” We are called to a communal life, one in which we prioritize physical presence with one another, one where we are close enough to recognize and rejoice over the way God is working in each other’s lives.

It doesn’t stop there, though. Because this group had gathered, they heard the prophetic call on John’s life. They witnessed Zacharias regaining his speech, and they saw that the Lord was at work among them. The community grew in anticipation and faith because of what they witnessed with this family. The miracles God works in your life are not only meant to bless you, they’re meant to minister to the community you share your life with. An answered prayer for one person turns into a testimony that strengthens the faith of another. The act of interceding in prayer on your neighbors’ behalf allows you to anticipate a move of God with them. This requires that we set our minds on deepening our relationships with one another. To live the Christian life is to live a shared life.

Re:Verse passage – Luke 1:57-80 (day three)

And they said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who is called by that name.”

Like other births preceded by heavenly visitations in scripture, much mystery surrounded the prophecy of the boy’s life and work. But the parents were certain about the name. Clearly Zechariah and Elizabeth had discussed the angelic appearance and divine directive thoroughly (despite Zechariah’s temporary aphonia). The family, however, challenged their insistence on the name, and there arose a disagreement. Family turmoil generates distress like little else can (which is why holiday gatherings can sometimes feel so demoralizing and worrisome). The squabbling seems to have continued even after Zechariah backed Elizabeth in her determination to use the name John; astonishment was not a sign that all was well. Then came Zechariah’s holy utterance (the Benedictus). The human voice speaking heaven’s language will turn wrangling into wonder.

Re:Verse passage – Luke 1:26-38 (day six).

When Gabriel tells Mary that the Holy Spirit will “come upon” her and that the power of the Most High will “overshadow” her, Luke is deliberately recalling the opening scene of Scripture. In Genesis 1, before anything is formed or filled, “the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters,” brooding, moving, preparing to bring order out of chaos and light out of darkness. That same Spirit now descends on Mary, not to establish Jesus’ divinity (for the Son is eternally divine), but to bring forth a new kind of humanity; humanity reborn, humanity remade.

In Jesus, God is beginning the new creation. He is the true Adam, fully human and fully divine, the one through whom God will restore what was lost. The same Spirit who hovered over the waters now brings life in Mary’s womb, announcing that the world’s renewal has begun.

Christmas is not just the story of a birth; it is the dawn of new creation. And the miracle is this: the same Spirit who brought forth Christ now brings new creation in us (John 3:5; 2 Cor. 5:17).

Re:Verse passage – Luke 1:26-38 (day five).

When you look out across the room of gathered worshippers at FBCSA, do you notice the diversity?  Backgrounds. Gifts. Experiences. Education. And yes, age. It’s one of the characteristics of our church I love most – the generations coming together to worship, serve, learn, and share. Did you take note of this same thing happening in Luke 1? One couple nearer the end of their lives being used by God, while at the same time, another couple nearer the beginning of their lives also being used by God. So, maybe one of the insights we might consider this week is that no matter what (gifts, education, experiences, training, background, and yes even age), each one of us can be (prepared and expecting) used by God for His kingdom purposes. Isn’t that exciting? On Sunday, look around the room and be reminded that each one/everyone there (regardless of age and generation), have the capability and opportunity to serve, share, lead, minister, and join God in the work of growing His Kingdom.