Expectation (Revised and reposted from December 19, 2021)
My lack of expectation could have cost me the child I had longed for. Decades of dashed hopes and the disgrace of barrenness had hardened my heart and caused me to lose hope that my prayers would ever be answered. Now, as I stand here holding this miracle of God, I think back to that life-changing day.
It started out as any other day with my order of priests on duty for the week. I had been chosen by lot to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and burn incense. I hadn’t been in the Holy Place for long before he appeared, a huge angel of the Lord standing right there to the right of the incense altar. I was so overwhelmed by fear that I almost couldn’t stand.
He told me not to fear and called me by my name, Zechariah. Then he started telling me the wildest story – Elizabeth was going to give me a son, and we were to name him John. He went on to describe the boy and all he would do. It sounded incredible, but didn’t he realize how old Elizabeth and I were? How could this possibly be true?
I realize now that he could have struck me dead right then and there. What a fool I was. How was I doubting this when I was looking right into the eyes of this angelic being? Instead of striking me dead, he let me know that he was Gabriel and he stands in the very presence of God. God Himself had sent him to tell me this good news. But now that I had not believed him, I would be made silent and unable to speak until the child was born.
It didn’t matter that I had my doubts, God was still faithful to His promise, and this would be fulfilled in its proper time.
The other priests were waiting on me and had begun to worry that something was wrong. When I walked out and couldn’t speak, they knew something had happened. I finally got them to understand I had seen a vision. I’m thankful my merciful God gave me the time to regain my faith. Now I stand here holding the son He promised we would have.
John, his name is John, and I wait with great expectation to see all that the angel told me about him come to pass.
Luke 1:5-25; 57-79 NLT
Debbie's Perspective 
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