Zechariah finally chooses to believe the angel. Previously his doubt rendered him silent. But he finally assents to the plan of God and is able to speak.
He asked for a tablet and wrote, "John is his name,"
and all were amazed.
Immediately his mouth was opened, his tongue freed,
and he spoke blessing God.
No clever ideas, advice columns, or philosophical analyses can truly speak in this sense unless the acknowledge the plan of God. It begins with faith in the word of God. In the word of God we discover God's will. What we discover might not be what we expected or hoped for. It might involve accepting new plans different from our own. It definitely involves a humility before God that values his will above our own. It might seem that such humility would make us less effective or powerful but the opposite is true. It is this humility which opens the mouth of Zechariah in praise at last. It is this humility which John so perfectly embodies.
What do you suppose that I am? I am not he.
Behold, one is coming after me;
I am not worthy to unfasten the sandals of his feet.
John is constantly pointing to Jesus and away from himself. He is trying to decrease so that Jesus can increase. Yet in spite of John doing his level best to shift the focus away from himself it is by these very actions that he succeeds enough to be called the greatest of those born of women (see Luke 7:28, Matthew 11:11). It is because of his profound humility and acceptance of the plan of God in faith that we celebrate him today and strive to emulate his example.
For now the LORD has spoken
who formed me as his servant from the womb,
that Jacob may be brought back to him
and Israel gathered to him;
and I am made glorious in the sight of the LORD,
and my God is now my strength!
Perhaps we are experiencing doubts today. Zechariah experienced them. In prison even John needed more confirmation about the identity of Jesus and the plan of God. Through their testimony we can learn that God is faithful to his plan. John shows us how the greatest calling requires the greatest humility. It is only possible by walking in faith in God's plan even when we can't see the end clearly.
Let us confess our faith so that our lips may be opened. In our attempts to follow that plan, even if it seems like we toil in vain and nothing we do is effective we need to trust in God's will for us. John may have felt this way, but he ultimately chose to trust. Like John, we must learn to look to God, and not to success as this world defines it, to be our reward and recompense. We too are chosen. We can trust in his plans for us.
Truly you have formed my inmost being;
you knit me in my mother's womb.
I give you thanks that I am fearfully, wonderfully made;
wonderful are your works.
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