Advent 12, 2018: Doubts Revealed

Zechariah was stunned into silence by the angel’s appearance and proclamation about his prayer being heard. His mind whirred into action.

Prayer? Prayer? Which prayer?

No one had ever told him that this is what happens when you’re ministering before the altar of incense. He hadn’t a clue what prayer and when he’d prayed the effective one heard by the Almighty.

The angel continued speaking, “Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John. He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth. Many of the people of Israel will he bring back to the Lord their God. And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous to make ready a people prepared for the Lord”

(Luke 1:13-17)

Zechariah regained his courage at this great news and emboldened, he asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.” The angel answered, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their proper time” (Luke 1:19-20).

What a foolish thing to have asked! Why didn’t he keep his mouth shut or just say “Praise Adonai”?

His words were clearly heard by the angel and revealed totally faithless when stripped of all pretense. His doubt had burst out and been laid bare.

Before an angel and the Almighty no less.

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His Story, Your Story:

Are there any things we can confess to God that He doesn’t already know?
Looking back over the angel’s words, what are some important things for which Zechariah could have been grateful? “Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John. He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth. Many of the people of Israel will he bring back to the Lord their God. And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”
Before we’re too hard on old Zechariah, is gratitude our default position?
How likely are we to believe the miraculous?
The more miraculous and outlandish something is, the harder it is to believe. What are some reasons Zechariah might have had for doubt?
How might a life practice–day in, day out–of slowly giving up hope for an heir produce such a response?
Are there any things on which you’ve been hoping so long that you’re slowly extinguishing the light of hope?

Self-Reflection topic: The nature of hope and doubt

Prayer: Thank You, Father, for Your Word which reminds us that “we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us” (Romans 5:3-5). During times when our half-life of hope seems to be more than half-spent, remind us of the value of persevering and willingness to confess our doubts and fears to You. Because You love us, we can approach You boldly and we have no fear. You already know all about us and our weakness and You love us anyway. Keep our hearts grateful always because You deserve our gratitude. Amen.

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Acknowledging inquiries about the entire season’s devotionals for your study group’s planning purposes, Seminary Gal’s prior seasons’ Advent devotionals can be accessed via the archives to the right and are as follows:

Last year’s Advent Devotional Series (2017), Still Christmas, began December 3, 2017 and was the Advent complement to the Lenten series, Be Still and Know that I AM God.
The 2016 season devotionals were called “Timeless: The Message of Christmas for All Ages” and explored how the message of Christmas is timeless truth, for all ages of people, and for all ages at all times. Timeless hope, encouragement, grace, peace, and love as we looked into the Word, saw the face of our Lord Jesus, and experienced restoration in His presence. His goodness and His Gospel are truly Timeless. The 2016 devotionals began November 27, 2016.
The 2015 season devotionals were titled Incarnation and involved digging deep–and yes, I mean deep– in this important mystery of Christian theology. They began November 29, 2015.
Carol Me, Christmas! remains one of my most popular offerings and tells the Christmas story through our most beloved Christmas hymns and carols. You can access all of the numbered devotionals from 2014 via the archives. They began November 30, 2014.
The 2013 series was Emmanuel: When LOVE Showed Up in Person and examined the Prologue to the Gospel of John. It began December 1, 2013.
The 2012 series focused on Expecting the Unexpected…the unexpected, unlikely, and uniquely divine qualities of God’s perfect plan outlined in Luke’s account of the Christmas story. It began December 1, 2012.