Let's just get this out of the way: Where have I been for 2 months?!
Answer: I have no good answer. I cannot believe 2 months have passed. I blinked and November passed me by and here it is, the end of December. No excuse.
I have a little Bible humor to share with you. Seriously.
If you jump inside the Scriptures you're reading and try to picture yourself as a bystander watching the scene unfold before you, Scripture comes to life...becomes so real and enjoyable. Try it. You'll be surprised how dear and precious the Word becomes. Or, sometimes... funny. Hang in here with me...
I love the Gospel of Luke.
Its style, detail... just love it.
There's something so familiar, comfortable and sentimental about hearing or reading Luke's account of the birth of Christ. More often than not, we begin in Luke 2,
"And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed. "
But if you page back to Luke 1, you'll read about what happened before the birth of Christ. Zechariah, a priest was chosen to offer incense in the temple. While he was offering incense, an angel appeared to him and told him his wife, Elizabeth who was advanced in years would conceive the forerunner to the Messiah, John.
Zechariah questioned Gabriel, much like Abraham, that his wife was advanced in years and how could he know for sure? So Gabriel answers and tells him "I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. " He then tells Zechariah that because he didn't believe immediately, he would be silent and not be able to speak until he has a son who Gabriel tells him is to be named John.
In Jewish tradition, babies aren't given their names until 8 days after they are born, at their circumcision. Those who would perform the ceremony wanted to name the baby after his father. But Elizabeth said that his name should be John. But they disagreed with her suggestion because John was not a family name.
So (here's the amusing part...if you're still hanging with me) verse 62 tells us "so they made signs to his father as to what he wanted him called."
Did you ever notice that? Gabriel only told Zechariah that he would be unable to speak, not unable to hear! ha! Zechariah had gotten into the habit of writing things on a tablet or making signs to be understood, but he would have been able to hear the world around him.
I love when the Word reminds us we are human. Isn't that just what we would do? It's like when people talk really loud to someone who doesn't know very much English. They're not deaf. Just slow it down, don't turn it up!
As the account continues, Zechariah "asked for a tablet" and wrote "His name is John." And at once, "his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he began to speak in praise of God."
The moral of the story: If the angel Gabriel visits you to give you a message, believe him and the One who sent him. If the angel Gabriel doesn't visit you, but the Lord Himself speaks to your heart... Believe Him and the One who sent Him.
Merry Christmas!!
