ADVENT - DAY 19 - A PRAISE UNCORKED

ANTICIPATING GOD IN THE CHRISTMAS SEASON (A Daily Advent Devotional)

Over the next few days till Christmas I would like you to take a journey with me in anticipation.  Let's daily look at the events leading up to the birth of Christ with a sense of anticipation of His arrival into this world and into our lives.  (Inspired by the Book "The Miraculous Journey" by Marty A. Bullis).

Advent - Day 19 - A Praise Uncorked

And on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child. And they would have called him Zechariah after his father, but his mother answered, “No; he shall be called John.” (Luke 1:59, 60 ESV)

Do you like to hear a good story?  I know that I do.  My problem is when I want to jump in on the story to help it be told in a better and greater way.  It's really hard to stay quiet in moments like that. 
Zechariah was in on a good story except for the fact that his voice had been corked and he was not able to say what he saw and what he heard firsthad.

It's hard for a man to not speak at important gatherings.  Circumcision was an important ritual for a Jewish male when a boy would be named marking out the important task of his life.  And here he was, an educated man whose job whose job as priest was to offer up prayers and sacrifice for his people - and he was all bottled up.

Luke's Advent story readies us for us to hear something from this man.  We hear the story of Mary and Elizabeth sandwiched in between the middle of Zechariah's story.  Then we get the "lead in story" that the woman is going to name the boy.  Nobody in Elizabeth's male demoninated day could believe it.  They want Zechariah to say something, even if it was to write on a tablet.  They're looks all said, "C'mon Zechariah, Say something.  Be a man!"  Zechariah does it, but he must do it God's way, not his - empitied of himself.

In silence he writes a message in support of his wife - that backs up her God-spoken naming.  

Then something remarkable happens.  For nine months he had been chewing on God listening to God speak attentively, being empitied of himself, being emptied of male pretension and doubt.  His ears have been tuned, his lips have been readying themselves during this time.  What will he say?  It couldn't be another word of disbelief, can it?  That's what God him into trouble at the start.

No! Zechariah is a beautiful sharp Spirit-instrument.  He's primned for this moment.  He breaks forth into God praise.  Prophecy comes forth, about the future, about his people, about his son, about a coming Savior.  

Light has dawned and Zechariah, now the only person now prepared to speak well, speaks an illuminating word.  Like Joseph, Zechariah is emptied of himself and refilled  so that God has a choice bottle of Advent praise to uncork for the world.