DCLM Daily Manna 7 December 2022
KEY VERSE: “And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord” (Luke 1:17).
TEXT: Luke 1:5-17
5 There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth.
6 And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.
7 And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years.
8 And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest’s office before God in the order of his course,
9 According to the custom of the priest’s office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.
10 And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense.
11 And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.
12 And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.
13 But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.
14 And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth.
15 For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother’s womb.
16 And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.
17 And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.
Read yesterday’s Daily Manna here
Martin Luther said, “If we consider the greatness and the glory of the life we shall have when we have risen from the dead, it would not be difficult at all for us to bear the concerns of this world…”
Despite his advanced age and the challenge of being childless while he and his old wife, Elisabeth, served the Lord as a “righteous” and “blameless” couple, Zacharias the priest was still at his duty post in the temple. He left the matter of barrenness at home as he had always done and “executed the priest’s office before God in the order of his course.” The passage under review reveals how the Lord rewarded their faithfulness.
God visited the old man with gladdening news while he was attending to his work, not while grieving over his lack of children or planning to send Elisabeth packing in order to bring another woman who would have the fruit of the womb. To attract heaven’s attention concerning what they were passing through, Zacharias and Elisabeth remained unmoved in God’s service, until the Lord sent His angel to tell him, “thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son.”
Answer to prayers over our troubles does come when we are neck-deep in the work the Lord assigns to us. He expects us to work and resist the temptation to bring in our carnal emotions into His work. This means staying with the Lord always despite seeming setbacks, embarrassments, losses, and ridicule. At the end of the day, these would all amount to nothing compared to the spiritual and physical rewards the believer receives from God.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: God does not forget those who stay true to Him.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Isaiah 22-25
Thank you for studying today’s Daily Manna – Stay At Your Duty Post – by Pastor W.F Kumuyi
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Daily Manna 7 December 2022
