Waiting for God’s Promises

Zechariah, husband of Elizabeth and eventual father to John the Baptist, did not see this coming. He was a righteous man and no doubt took his job as priest seriously, but on the day when he was scheduled to offer incense within the temple, he had no idea what/who was waiting for him.

Besides the regular sight and smell of the altar of incense, there stood an angel. There was no doubt it was an angel, and Zechariah responded as does everyone—he was afraid. Then the angel told him that his prayers had been heard and that his wife would have a son, not just any son, but one who would be filled with the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:15), and who would turn many of the people of Israel back to the Lord.

Do you remember how Zechariah responds? “My wife and I are too old!” That’s a realistic response, but not in this situation. Zechariah’s wife will still have that son, John the Baptist, and Zechariah will rejoice when he sees the baby. But along the way God teaches him about the proper response to God’s promises:

“And the angel answered him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. 20 And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time.” (Luke 1:19-20)

Which of God’s promises are you tempted to doubt, or to give up on? What is it that God calls, invites you to believe, that your heart pushes back on?

I don’t mean that we’ve had an angel appear to us. I don’t mean that we have had a direct spoken word from God. Nor do I mean that we count as a “promise” from God whatever we happen to want.

But God has given us precious and very great promises (2 Peter 1:4) through Jesus, and he calls us toward a virtuous waiting, a longing and expectation, that he will fulfill them in his own proper time, according to his steadfast love. That is what we are seeking this Advent.

We may be discouraged about our progress in the faith and doubt whether God will really work in us that which is pleasing to him (Heb. 13:21). We may doubt that nothing will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ (Rom. 8:38-39). We may doubt that Jesus will build his church and the gates of hell will not stand against it (Matt. 16:18).

We need to see that God’s promise, “I will be with you always, even to the end of the age (Matt. 28:20),” is just as audacious as his promise to Zechariah. To believe it requires the same sort of faith as Zechariah needed when the angel announced that he would have a son.

Dear friends, how are you doing in waiting for God’s promises without losing hope in their fulfillment?

Zechariah’s experience reminds us that a proper response to God’s promises is a hopeful waiting…and it reminds us of our need to confess our sins…

Holy Father, we have not only heard the words of an angel, but we have heard your very words from the mouth of the incarnate Son. We have seen your words confirmed through the miracle of resurrection and through the miracle of regeneration in our own lives.

To despair about your promises is to despair about your love, and that is a great evil in us. Be merciful, we pray, and lead us in this time of silent confession…