Power couples series - bible edition

“Zacharias and Elisabeth, Righteous Before God”
Luke 1:5-25 KJV
*names spelled according to the KJV Version of the Bible.*

Photo Credit: youtube.com A Faith Kid's Bible Video

​​     Have you ever prayed to The Lord for something and He didn’t send an answer at the time you thought was sufficient?  At times, it is easy to feel that if I just follow the rules, keep my nose to the ground and do what I’m supposed to do, then God will answer my request.  You know, sing in the choir, feed the hungry, and love my neighbor as I love myself, then surely when I make my request known to God, He will answer right away.  I am here to tell you that God is not moved by our time table.  In His Omnipresent-ness, He is present everywhere at the same time.  Time is of no consequence to Him.  He has already stated in the Book of Ecclesiastes, everything has its appointed time.
     In the book of Luke 1:5-25, the story of Zacharias and Elisabeth is recorded.  Luke describes the Power Couple as “both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.”  An example of a couple that followed the rules, kept their nose to the ground and did what they were supposed to do.  Yet something was still missing.  How many couples find themselves having everything they you ever wanted, except that one thing? And the lack of that one thing makes you act like you have nothing. There is a feeling of incompleteness that drives you to not stop until you obtain that one thing.
     In the account of Zacharias and Elisabeth, in a society where having male children or any children at all for that matter, was considered a rite of passage, it was the one thing the couple did not have.  And now the couple is over sixty years of age, which was considered pass childbearing years.  I am sure that the both of them had come to terms with the fact that their one thing would never happen.  But then again, neither of them are Omnipresent.  Ecclesiastes 3:1 KJV states, “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.” 
     The one thing I admire about this couple is their faithful service to the Lord.  Despite the void each one felt from Elisabeth’s barrenness, despite the prayers that had not yet been answered, despite the townspeople whispering about their situation, despite the loss of hope, even in their old age, they were never out of service.  
     Zacharias was a priest who had the very important task of sprinkling incense on the altar to burn it.  He was supposed to pour the incense onto the golden altar, bow in worship to God and then leave that part of the temple and say the final prayer of the service. One day while serving in the House of the Lord, at the appointed time, the season dedicated to every purpose under the heavens, Gabriel, an angel, God’s Messenger, appeared to Zacharias while he was serving in the temple of the Lord.  
     Gabriel was there to personally deliver a Word from God.  Zacharias and Elisabeth would soon find out their prayer for that one thing would finally be answered.  The Power Couple would have a son whose name was to be called John, meaning, “The Lord is Gracious.”  Their purpose had finally been revealed.  Can you imagine?  Gods’ grace reached down from Heaven and chose them to be the parents of John the Baptist.  With just one word, God can change the trajectory of your one thing.  Do you have the faith to both believe and receive God’s grace in action for your marriage or whatever your one thing is?
     Even though Zacharias and Elisabeth were described as being a blameless couple, each of them did one thing which shows us that no married couple is perfect.  At his hearing of what should have been joyous news, out of fear Zacharias wanted proof of God’s Word.  Disappointed by his lack of faith, Gabriel, the angel, caused him to become mute until the birth of John the Baptist.         
     Elisabeth, after becoming pregnant, went into seclusion or hiding for the first five months, because of the fear that people might not have believed she could become pregnant.  May I submit to you that, this may be one of the reasons Mary, Mother of Jesus visited her cousin Elisabeth.  How many of us as women after God reveals His promise to us, hide the joyous news of its’ fulfillment for fear of what other people may think or say?  
     How many of us have allowed fear to almost make us miss our appointed time of purpose?  Maybe not miss it.  Maybe it’s more like not being able to enjoy it because of fear.  But God, being the Gracious Father that He is, will send His Messenger down from Heaven to personally deliver your purpose to you.  All you have to do is keep serving faithfully.  Be on your post when you’re supposed to be.  Doing what you were chosen to do for Him.  After offering up a sweet-smelling savor and worshipping Him, right before the benediction, just look to the right of the altar, and there, God’s Messenger will be waiting for you to deliver your purpose at His appointed time.
     For the record, Elisabeth had John the Baptist at age eighty-eight.

                                    *Original article published in Heaven and Heels Magazine, March 27, 2019 at heavenandheels.net*