ESOCS Devotional 7 December
TEXT: LUKE 1:1-16 KJV
MEMORY VERSE: “And the angel of the Lord appeared unto the woman, and said unto her, Behold now, thou art barren, and bearest not: but thou shall conceive and bear a son.” Judges 13:3 KJV
The lives and times of people like Abraham and Sarah (Gen. 15:2-3), Manoah and his wife (Judges 13:2), Hannah (1 Sam. 1:2), and Elizabeth and Zechariah (Luke 1:7), tend to encourage us to run home with the conclusion that God Almighty has a way of setting aside some persons for greatness and great exploits in life and ministry. But He allows them to go through terrible deprivations, as a test of their faithfulness.
Both Zechariah and Elizabeth were well stricken with years. As a Jewish wife, she had suffered one of the greatest embarrassments of a married woman. From verses 6-11, we see that they were both blameless before God, and obedient to His commandments. So the rhetorical question will be: “Why would God allow them to be barren?”
God cannot be questioned. But the lesson here is that, at the fullness of God’s timing, they had a son who was acclaimed prophet of the highest order (Luke 1:76; Luke 7:26-28), forerunner of the Messiah (Luke 7:27), Baptist and testifier (John 1:29-36).
From our examples above, these persons were highly embarrassed socially, but they remained faithful to their ministry in God’s business, and when the destined time came, God proved Himself.
Read yesterday’s ESOCS Devotional here
Little wonder King David states: “I waited patiently for the Lord and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry… And he has put a new song in my mouth ..” (Ps. 40: 1-3). Brethren, no matter the odds, God’s revelation is yet for an appointed time; wait for it (Hab. 2:3).
CHALLENGES
- Study Psalm 40 alongside this lesson and meditate deeply and be guided.
PRAYER POINT
Lord my God, no matter how rough my path, I look up to thee for succour. Amen.
FURTHER READING: Prov. 6:12-29; 7:10-27; Luke 1:17-27
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ESOCS Devotional 7 December
