A People Prepared
Scripture Reading: Luke: 1: 1-24
In the first few pages of the Bible, we see humanity turn their back on God and the stench of death permeate throughout creation. Everyone and everything is affected: animals shed blood, brother murders brother, children lie, and women are barren. In the first few stories of Genesis, we see barrenness again and again. In ancient history, a woman that was unable to have children meant a curse greater then death. The slow, painful curse of death was eating away at the possibility of producing new life.
Now fast forward 2000 years to the first chapter of Luke and we find a man named Zechariah married to Elizabeth, a husband and wife who were old in age and righteous in the sight of God. Elizabeth was barren. She never had a child grow within her womb, she never had the joy of nursing, and had no hope of children caring for her in her old age. But despite the disappointment, Elizabeth was faithful to her God.
And then Gabriel, the Lord’s angel, visits Zechariah. It is hard to wrap our mind around an experience like this. But Gabriel tells Zechariah good, wonderful news: Elizabeth would have a child named John. Can you imagine? All these years of childlessness, all these years of a barren, dead womb and now, in their old age, the Lord would breath life into Zechariah’s wife.
This child would be a joy and delight for Zechariah and Elizabeth, but this was not a blessing just for them. This was a blessing for the people of Israel. John would preach a powerful message and would have a unique purpose in the unfolding of God’s story to save humanity: he would "make ready a people prepared for the Lord."
Israel had long wandered from the loving protection that God had offered them in his covenant love. God’s rebellious children, the Israelites, had broken themselves off from their loving father who had been faithful and gracious to their idolatrous hearts. But God’s fatherly love continued to pursue his children and the child growing in Elizabeth’s womb would be filled with the Spirit and preach a message that would turn the hearts of parents to their children and the disobedient to wisdom… this child, John, would prepare the people for the Lord, Jesus Christ.
The healing of Elizabeth’s womb was evidence that sin’s destructive power was being undone. The curse was losing its power. The old was being made new. The sick would be healed. The dead would rise again.
Prayer for the Orphan:
Families all around your city are broken and devastated by sin. Take some time today to pray for the children in foster care. The God who is powerful enough to bring life from an old, barren womb is powerful enough to restore dysfunctional families. Pray for foster children who will not be with their parents for the holiday season. Pray for sibling groups who have been split up into different foster homes. Pray that the Lord would breath new life into their parents and biological families and heal what is broken. Pray for restoration and renewal of families and pray that the church would be the hands and feet of Jesus to these hurting children and families.
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