Everyone rejoices when a baby is born, new life brings hope and speculation about who the child looks like, who the child will grow up to be, what they will do and how they will fit into the world into which they have just arrived. In addition, in earlier times the health and survival of the baby and mother were not always assured. In our passage we see a group of family and friends rejoicing that aged Elizabeth was able to carry her baby to full term and deliver her child. They were both thriving and 8 days after birth, as was their custom, they gathered to circumcize the young child and officially name him. Luke 1:57-66 is fraught with joy and amazement as John speaks after 9 months of silence, just as the angel had said.

 ^“When it was time for Elizabeth’s baby to be born, she gave birth to a son. ⁵⁸ And when her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had been very merciful to her, everyone rejoiced with her. ⁵⁹ When the baby was eight days old, they all came for the circumcision ceremony. They wanted to name him Zechariah, after his father. ⁶⁰ But Elizabeth said, “No! His name is John!” ⁶¹ “What?” they exclaimed. “There is no one in all your family by that name.” ⁶² So they used gestures to ask the baby’s father what he wanted to name him. ⁶³ He motioned for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s surprise he wrote, “His name is John.” ⁶⁴ Instantly Zechariah could speak again, and he began praising God. ⁶⁵ Awe fell upon the whole neighborhood, and the news of what had happened spread throughout the Judean hills. ⁶⁶ Everyone who heard about it reflected on these events and asked, “What will this child turn out to be?” For the hand of the Lord was surely upon him in a special way.“

This story is an example of But God! The child was delivered and healthy, and he was surely to be named after his father But God intervened. Zechariah had been mute for 9 long months But God opened his mouth so he could speak. Can you imagine in that moment what Zechariah would say? He could have spoken to Elizabeth, words of comfort and apology, to the child, words of love and tenderness but scripture tells us his first words were praises to God. Zechariah knew God had intervened in his life and brought this wonder of new life to he and Elizabeth, and that God had a greater purpose for this child. All the angel had told him about his son came flooding back into this mind, and he knew without a doubt that it was all going to be true. He knew God keeps His promises and what He says will come to pass.

Have you had a But God moment in your life? How did you use it? Did you allow God to mold and shape you with His Holy Spirit by having your heart transformed and pointed towards Him? Zechariah did as He allowed God to work in his life and knew he would and could father this child God had given him. He trusted God for his child’s future and knew God would take care of him. Think back to your own God moment. Have you been open to God’s leading in your life? Have you doubted and wasted time arguing with God? Have you been saying, ‘Later God, not now?” Acknowledge God and ask Him to lead you in His way and see how your life’s path will be transformed. Remember the promise of Jeremiah 29:11 “ For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Claim His promises in your life and trust Him for the plans, hope and future He has for you.

Linda