(Audio)
It is he who will begin the deliverance of Israel
from the power of the Philistines.
How do we respond to the promises of God?
He will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother's womb,
and he will turn many of the children of Israel
to the Lord their God.
An angel announced a miraculous birth. The deliverance of Israel was finally at hand. A child in whom the Spirit of the LORD stirred and a child filled with the Spirit from the womb were going to be born. Samson would free Israel from the Philistines. John would open the way to a repentance that would ultimately free Israel from their sins. Both would in some sense reestablish the relationship which the LORD desired to have with his people.
Manoah's wife heard and believed even though she was old and thought to be barren. Zechariah could not wrap his head around how such a promise could come to pass when he and Elizabeth similarly seemed to old to conceive. Manoah's wife was able to confess God's promise. Zechariah could only confess his confusion.
"How shall I know this?
For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years."
Perhaps we're like Zechariah. Perhaps we can't understand, with the world as messed up as it is, indeed with our own hearts as broken as they are, how the LORD could really bring us anything worth calling salvation this Christmas. We have come to doubt even the ability of the LORD to turn hearts of families back toward one another, let alone to bring peace on earth and goodwill toward all. For us the solution might be the same as the angel's prescription for Zechariah: Silence.
I am Gabriel, who stand before God.
I was sent to speak to you and to announce to you this good news.
But now you will be speechless and unable to talk
until the day these things take place
What does this silence do? It prevents us from confessing our agreement with the voices of the world that do not fully trust God or that openly oppose him. It gives faith the time and space to grow within us until we can confess it. In this season we may not have much time for silence. But let us find at least a minute or two of time about which we can be very intentional. In those precious minutes let us turn off the noise of the world. Let us not ruminate on worldly thoughts. The LORD will inspire good thoughts of his truth when we listen. And it is with these only that the silence should be broken.
I will treat of the mighty works of the LORD;
O God, I will tell of your singular justice.
O Root of Jesse’s stem,
sign of God’s love for all his people:
come to save us without delay!
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