Today’s portion of scripture is taken from Luke 1:8-20. We see Zechariah in the temple doing his priestly duties and is interrupted by the angel Gabriel who has a message from God. God knew it was Zechariah’s time to serve and He wanted him for a specific mission.

“Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was” serving as priest before God, ⁹ he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. ¹⁰ And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside. ¹¹ Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. ¹² When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. ¹³ But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John. ¹⁴ He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, ¹⁵ 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 before he is born. ¹⁶ He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. ¹⁷ And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

¹⁸ Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.” ¹⁹ The angel said to him, “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. ²⁰ 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 appointed time.”

The attribute I have chosen for this passage is Perfect. God is Perfect in all He does and says. In this story we see God’s perfect timing. He sent the angel Gabriel at the specific time in Israel’s history to bring good news of this son that Zechariah and Elizabeth would miraculously have, even though they were older, to be the forerunner of Jesus. Zechariah’s son would be filled with the Holy Spirit before his birth and live a righteous life leading many to repent and turn to God. Zechariah and Elizabeth were the perfect parents to train and teach their young son about God and His Word.

I am always amused when I read about Zechariah’s boldness in questioning the word of the heavenly being Gabriel. His unbelief moved him to ask, how can I know this to be true? It is not surprising that Gabriel was offended at Zechariah questioning his integrity and his message from God. The punishment was also perfect. It was severe but not harmful to Zechariah’s person but to his pride. It also allowed others to see that he had indeed had an encounter with a God. Gabriel made the punishment time limited so that he would again have the message confirmed when it came to pass and know the power of God. God is perfect in his ways and they are not our ways as we are reminded in Isaiah 55:8-9 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” God always has the perfect solution and His timing is flawless.

This coming John would be the forerunner, proclaiming the glory of God to come. Later when both men are grown, John has the privilege of baptizing Jesus and proclaiming Jesus’ purpose in the world. John 1:29 “The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”

I can rely upon God’s perfection in all His ways, plans and timing. I may not see or know the plan, but I can trust the planner. I don’t’ need to question the truthfulness of God’s Word as I know it is flawless and true in its perfection. Lean into God and trust His Word in a new way today.

Linda