Christmas Advent Bible Reading Plan: Jesus Is BornSample

To Bring Mercy

We all have times in our lives when we doubt God’s faithfulness. Maybe you’re still waiting to land a job, receive your healing, and fall pregnant. We all have promises from God that we are waiting for. We wonder when God will answer our prayers, and the longer we wait, the louder the voice of doubt can grow.

Zechariah could hardly believe it when the angel Gabriel announced the birth of a son. “How can I know this?” he questioned (Luke 1:18). Because of his doubtful response, he was muted for Elizabeth’s pregnancy. But, the story didn’t end with his unbelief. John was born, and Zechariah praised God for His faithfulness. The Lord had shown abundant mercy to Elizabeth in answering her prayer and giving her the strength to deliver a baby in her old age. And with the baby’s arrival came a great time of celebration, and her whole community rejoiced with her (v.58).

John’s birth involved more than an answered prayer for Elizabeth and Zechariah. It signalled a greater reason to celebrate: the long-awaited advent of the Messiah. It had been prophesied for hundreds of years that one would come before the Messiah, declaring the arrival of the King. Centuries later, the one who would precede the King had arrived. By proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, John would turn the hearts of many in Israel to the Lord (Luke 1:16).

That good news proclaimed in the first century has reached us in the 21st century. In His mercy, God has granted us salvation because of the one who has turned our hearts to God (Ephesians 2:4–5). Like Zechariah, Elizabeth, and Israel, we can rejoice because the long-awaited King has appeared, bringing the gifts of salvation and an invitation into the family of God.

John’s birth story reminds us that God keeps His promises, even when dreams seem to have reached their expiration date. Like Zechariah and Elizabeth, we wait. In all of our seasons in life, we can wait confidently because we trust in the God who is faithful.

Prayer

God, thank You that You are faithful to Your promises. Silence the doubt in my life and show me how to hold onto faith in the waiting. In Jesus' Name, Amen.