Twenty-third Day of Advent
Luke 1:67-79New International Version (NIV)
Zechariah’s Song
67 His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied:
68 “Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel,
because he has come to his people and redeemed them.
69 He has raised up a horn of salvation for us
in the house of his servant David
70 (as he said through his holy prophets of long ago),
71 salvation from our enemies
and from the hand of all who hate us—
72 to show mercy to our ancestors
and to remember his holy covenant,
73 the oath he swore to our father Abraham:
74 to rescue us from the hand of our enemies,
and to enable us to serve him without fear
75 in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.
76 And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High;
for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him,
77 to give his people the knowledge of salvation
through the forgiveness of their sins,
78 because of the tender mercy of our God,
by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven
79 to shine on those living in darkness
and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.”
What parent hasn’t held their newborn child for the first time and spoken to them words of love, full of hope for their future. It was no different for Zechariah. But Zechariah’s words were different, they were prophetic. His son John was given an assignment by God – to make ready a people prepared for the Lord (Luke 1:17). This would not involve repaving streets throughout Judea or cleaning up storefronts or eloquent speeches presented before a crowd of well-dressed people. No, John would prepare the people by giving them “knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins.” How do you prepare people for a message of salvation? You help them see their need for a Savior. John would awaken hearts long dead to personal sin, comfortable in their self-righteousness. He would prepare them for their Savior by causing them to see their sin and calling them to repentance. What will you do to prepare your heart today? Start by presenting to Him a clean heart. He deserves nothing less. Jesus died so that you could experience the embrace of your Heavenly Father as He speaks to you words of love, full of hope for your future.
Emily Cox
Re: Verse reading – John 8:31-47