Devotions
March 12, 2025 Luke 21:34--22:6
This is the devotion I shared with our congregational council at our June meeting.
A reading from Luke, chapter 1: (Luke 1:5-20)
5 In the days of King Herod of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly order of Abijah. His wife was descended from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 6 Both of them were righteous before God, living blamelessly according to all the commandments and regulations of the Lord. 7 But they had no children because Elizabeth was barren, and both were getting on in years.
8 Once when he was serving as priest before God during his section’s turn of duty, 9 he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to enter the sanctuary of the Lord to offer incense. 10 Now at the time of the incense offering, the whole assembly of the people was praying outside. 11 Then there appeared to him an angel of the Lord, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. 12 When Zechariah saw him, he was terrified, and fear overwhelmed him. 13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will name him John. 14 You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, 15 for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He must never drink wine or strong drink; even before his birth he will be filled with the Holy Spirit. 16 He will turn many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. 17 With the spirit and power of Elijah he will go before him, to turn the hearts of parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” 18 Zechariah said to the angel, “How can I know that this will happen? For I am an old man, and my wife is getting on in years.” 19 The angel replied, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. 20 But now, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time, you will become mute, unable to speak, until the day these things occur.”
The word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Different literary genres sometimes have recognizable patterns. In a fairy tale you can be pretty certain that the knight in shining armour will save the damsel in distress.. The fair and kind maiden will triumph over her evil and conniving sister. In mysteries the characters are different but they still have some recognizable patterns. The smart, careful sleuth will solve the case, catching all and revealing the culprit in the last scene. When we read or watch these stories we can often pick up on the clues and the cues that the author scatters through the story and let our expectations be guided by them.
The stories of the Bible can sometimes be like that. The readers of Luke, whether in the first century or the twenty-first, might pick up on the expectations based on the clues in the story, not for a fairy tale rescue or a mystery solved, but for a miracle.
Here are some clues: two righteous and faithful people too old to have a child, a barren wife, a chance assignment that brings the husband into the Temple. When you get a story set up this way you know something is bound to happen. This story of Elizabeth and Zechariah is reminiscent of Sarah and Abraham who were also faithful, barren, and too old to have children. And they entertained messengers from God in what seemed like a chance meeting. Yet from those two came Isaac and eventually the whole nation of Israel.
There’s another clue as well: disbelief. Sarah laughed when she overheard the messengers tell Abraham that she would have a child. Now Zechariah disbelieves and is rendered mute, not so much as punishment but as a sign that when all of this comes to pass his speech will also be restored.
We get this elaborate set up because the authors of the Bible, from way back in Genesis all the way up to Luke, love to point out that nothing is impossible for God. Barren? What of it—God is the giver of life. Old? So what—God is the renewer of all things. Chance encounters? It just seems that way—nothing is mere chance when God is involved. Disbelief? Well, who could blame them—when it comes to the miraculous most of us are taken off guard.
So if you’re feeling kind of ordinary, beset by challenges that seem overwhelming, not sure you have it in you to do what you feel called to do, just get ready. Because God loves to take ordinary people facing ridiculous challenges and does extraordinary things through them. Way back with Sarah and Abraham it was Isaac, the child of promise and laughter. Later it would be John, set apart like the prophets of old to herald the coming Messiah. Who knows who will be next, maybe you and me.
Let’s pray.
Loving God, you seem to delight in taking unlikely people and doing wondrous things with them, for them, and through them. Help us to be open to your movement and purpose to become instruments of your grace, mercy, and peace. In Jesus’ name, Amen