TEXT:
‘But the angel said, “Don’t be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayer. Your wife, Elizabeth, will give you a son, and you are to name him John’ – Numbers 11:23 NLT.
THOUGHT:
Why? One of the most common questions Christians ask. Why has God not healed me? Why has He not answered my prayer? I know the Bible promises it, so why have I not received it?
Zacharias and Elizabeth would have asked similar questions concerning her barrenness. They knew the scriptures and promises of God but no answer came concerning their prayer for a child. Yet all that changed when one ordinary day became extra-ordinary. An angel appeared to Zacharias while he was doing his priestly duties announcing that God had heard their prayer. Elizabeth was going to have a baby who would be the forerunner of the Messiah. Let’s look into the background of this amazing encounter.
1. Delay had not initially dampened their faith
They had history on their side, for their nation had started from those who found it impossible to bear children. Abraham had a twenty-five year battle over Sarah’s barrenness before she conceived. Isaac had to intercede for Rebekah and Jacob did the same for Rachel. The founding fathers all prayed and received and this spurred Zacharias and Elizabeth on but prayer, fasting and positive confession did not make the slightest difference. The heavens seemed like brass and no answer to their prayer was forthcoming.
2. Delay did not change their lifestyle – ‘Zechariah and Elizabeth were righteous in God’s eyes, careful to obey all of the Lord’s commandments and regulations’ – Luke 1:6 NLT
How does one continue serving God and leading God’s people in worship when it seems God is against you? Part of Zacharias’ priestly duties was to put the following blessing on God’s people, ‘May the Lord bless and protect you; may the Lord’s face radiate with joy because of you; may he be gracious to you, show you his favour, and give you his peace’ – Numbers 6:24-26 TLB. He still blessed them in spite of his own disappointment.
How quickly Christians can take offence, go off in the opposite direction, and become bitter when it seems that God is not going to answer their prayer. Yet Zacharias and Elizabeth stayed true to their faith. Job, after getting the news about his losses and family deaths, did not sin by accusing God of doing wrong. ‘The Lord gave me everything I had, and they were his to take away. Blessed be the name of the Lord”. In all of this, Job did not sin or revile God’ – Job 1:21-22 TLB. He even said, ‘Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him’ – Job 13:15. Little wonder the Bible highlights Job as a wonderful example of patience, endurance and long-suffering. The family he had prayed for was taken from him in a day, but he carried on worshipping the God he believed in, in spite of his wife’s advice to, ‘Curse God and die!’ – Job 2:9.
3. Delay eventually meant they had to face the harsh reality of apparent failure
The time came when they stopped praying as their bodies became physically incapable of reproduction. The fact that Zacharias had stopped believing for their miracle is clear from his reaction to Gabriel’s announcement. No cry of, “At last!” but one of unbelief, “How?” It’s interesting to realise that every time they thought God was saying, “No!” it was “Yes”, but not in their timescale.
I wonder if any of my unanswered prayers fit into the same category. Some I am still praying for and others I have given up on. Thinking it’s a “No” when in reality it is “Yes, but not yet!”
4. Delay can end in delight – ‘You will both have great joy and gladness at his birth, and many will rejoice with you’ – Luke 1:14 TLB
It’s important to realise that not every trouble, trial and tragedy has a happy ending. The following verses bear witness to that, ‘There were those who, under torture, refused to give in and go free, preferring something better: resurrection. Others braved abuse and whips, and, yes, chains and dungeons. We have stories of those who were stoned, sawed in two, murdered in cold blood; stories of vagrants wandering the earth in animal skins, homeless, friendless, powerless—the world didn’t deserve them!—making their way as best they could on the cruel edges of the world. Not one of these people, even though their lives of faith were exemplary, got their hands on what was promised’ – Hebrews 11:35-39 MSG.
But those mentioned in the previous verses certainly had a happy ending, ‘Through acts of faith, they toppled kingdoms, made justice work, took the promises for themselves. They were protected from lions, fires, and sword thrusts, turned disadvantage to advantage, won battles, routed alien armies. Women received their loved ones back from the dead’– Hebrews 11:32-35 MSG.
This is the triumph of our faith. Whether we live or die we are the Lord’s. Whether we get the answer we are praying for or not, all things are working together for our good. Sometimes heartache will remain until our dying day or as in this case, be turned into great happiness. The secret to great peace is, ‘Lord, not my will but Yours be done’ – Luke 22:42.
So realise today, delay does not necessarily mean denial. Just ensure your heart remains in tune with God so that the answer can come!
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