8 So it was, that while he was serving as priest
before God in the order of his division, 9 according to the custom of the
priesthood, his lot fell to burn incense when he went into the temple of the
Lord.
Dear friends, thank you so much for your prayers for Luke
yesterday. The surgery went well. They found that a valve on the shunt was not
functioning properly and were able to repair it. I think Luke woke up with a
smile on his face with the pressure gone. He should be going home today from
the hospital if the MRI shows that everything is working correctly. Thanks
again and again for your faithful prayers!
Today in Luke 1:5-9, we will be talking about two ordinary
people that God uses in an extra ordinary way! Zacharias ("Jehovah has
remembered") and Elizabeth ("God is my oath") were a godly
couple who both belonged to the priestly line. The priests were divided into
twenty-four courses (1 Chron. 24), and each priest served in the temple two
weeks out of the year. In spite of the godlessness around them, Zacharias and
Elizabeth were faithful to obey the Word of God and live blamelessly.
Their only sorrow was that they had no family, and no doubt
over the years they had made this a matter of constant prayer. But years passed
and their prayer was never answered. This could have been very discouraging but
despite their disappointment they continued to serve the Lord faithfully and
blamelessly! Little did they know that God would answer their prayers and give
them, not a priest, but a prophet! And no ordinary prophet, for their son would
be the herald of the coming King!
This should teach us that God answers our prayers in His
own timetable! In the meantime, we should remain faithful to the task that the
Lord has called us to! God might put something in our hearts, a vision of something
special, to pray about, and the years pass, and nothing happens. The vision dies
and it now becomes impossible for the dream or vision to be fulfilled. “Elizabeth
was barren, and they were both well advanced in years.” My friend, that is
when God delights to give a “rebirth” to our vision and do the impossible because
only then can He receive the glory!
I love how Luke tells us this story! In verse 8, “So it
was, that while he was serving as priest before God…”. This is usually the
time that the LORD shows up! While we are serving! While we are praying! The
priests on duty drew lots to see which ministries they would perform, and
Zacharias was chosen to offer incense in the holy place. This was a high honor
that was permitted to a priest but once in a lifetime. The incense was offered
daily before the morning sacrifice and after the evening sacrifice, about 3
o'clock in the afternoon. It was probably the evening offering that was
assigned to Zacharias.
You have probably noticed in the Scriptures that God often
speaks to His people and calls them while they are busy doing their daily
tasks. Moses was keeping the flock of Jethro when the call came through the
burning bush (Exod. 3:1). Gideon was threshing wheat (Judges 6:11). David was
in the sheepfolds (Psa. 78:70). Elisha was ploughing when the prophetic mantle
fell upon him (1 Kings 19:19). Peter and his partners were mending nets when
Jesus called them. Matthew in his tollbooth. It is difficult to steer a car
when the engine is not running. When we get busy, God starts to direct us.
I’ll never forget the old preacher saying, “Don’t despair!
Don’t despair! But if you do despair, work on in despair!”
My friend, don’t give up! Paul reminds us in Galatians 6:9,
“And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if
we do not give up.”
God bless!
