Text: Luke 1:57-80
Not everyone’s holidays are filled with family, cozy fires, plaid flannel blankets, and presents under the tree. For some of us, the holidays bring the pain of knowing someone is missing. Or a reminder of a hope gone unfulfilled. Some of us have strained relationships, and all those family gatherings just highlight the tension we keep under wraps the rest of the year.
As a teenager, my life with my dad was not easy. For a whole list of reasons, we struggled to see good in each other, we felt a loss of trust and, honestly, I felt a loss of love. This continued for years unchecked, and the holidays always made it extra apparent to me that things were not as I hoped they’d be. I would picture my girlfriends going back to their family homes and arriving to hugs and cheers from their father, excited to celebrate Christmas together.
My Christmases have never been bright in that cozy familial way, but when I read about the birth of a tiny John the Baptist, I remember all over again that our hope is not in our earthly father but in our Heavenly Father who loves us without end.
As we’ve already read, John the Baptist’s earthly father was Zechariah. I can only imagine that Zechariah was overcome with joy to be a dad, because Zechariah and his wife Elizabeth had all but given up on ever becoming parents. John was a long awaited baby who had joy-filled parents.
In Luke 1, we see Zechariah speak truth and hope over his son. He prophesies that John will turn people away from darkness and towards the light. He tells of the way that John will usher Jesus in and prepare the way. It is powerful. It is loving. It is mighty.
Can you imagine if your father spoke such life over you? Maybe it’s hard for you to imagine because your earthly father is angry or aloof. Or maybe you don’t know your father at all.
But our God, He turns earthly things upside down. We don’t have to hang our hope on our fathers—or anyone—here on Earth. Your Heavenly Father has already spoken words of hope and joy and freedom into your life. He has made you in His image and He wants to redeem your life through Christ. He has made unfathomable promises over you! He calls us a “people of his own possession,” a royal priesthood. He says that Jesus reigns and that He’ll come back for us.
When I read these words from Zechariah, I think, How magnificent to have a father who loves you so ferociously that he’d proclaim truth over you. But then I remember, I do have a Father who does that! He has already saved me, He has already planned for me good works to do in His name, and He loves me fiercely.
Just like Zechariah proclaimed over a tiny baby John, these things are true because of God’s mercy and God’s goodness, and for God’s glory. What hope we have in this season knowing that we have a Father who has spoken life over us, through Christ!
For an added layer of worship during this sweet season of adoration and expectation, we’ve created a Spotify playlist for Advent 2014! You can find the complete SheReadsTruth | O Come Let Us Adore Him playlist at this link, or listen to today’s track on the player below. Enjoy!
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78 thoughts on "The Birth of John the Baptist"
Thank you for sharing this post. Yes, you are right. our parents always loves us. As a mom I understood your feelings.
I loved reading this! I had a great relationship with my dad, but have never been close with my mother. When my dad died 7 years ago I struggled knowing I lost my only parent. I loved that as I
read I could identify with the longing for a parent to speak life over you, and I found peace in the realization that my Heavenly Father does this daily!!
This devotional is definitely relatable for me. Growing up, my earthly dad was wonderful. He was a leader in our Church and he always lead me to the throne of Christ – even when I was just a toddler. When I was a little girl, I never thought I’d meet a man as great and godly as my dad. This has since changed. When I was 15, my dad started questioning whether God existed. He stopped going to church and his godly character slowly deteriorated. He has since adopted atheism and a worldly lifestyle to go with it. His choices, and sometimes his words, break my heart. I long desperately to go to him and be led to the throne of God once again, but that will not happen. I’m 22 now, and only recently has God shown me that I have to grieve the spiritual death of my earthly father. It’s been difficult, but through this, I have been able to experience my Heavenly Father in a personally unprecedented way! I’m still struggling, hurting, praying, loving, and healing – but God is so gracious through it all!
Praying for peace for you and for your earthly Father to come back to Jesus! Ephesians 3:20-21 God can do FAR MORE ABUNDANTLY than we could ever ask or imagine!
I loved everything about this devotional! I so can relate to not have a cozy familial Christmas experience year after year and how amazing it is to have a God who restores to us what we’ve always longed for through who He is in our lives and what He did on a cross for our sins. Having God as our father makes every Christmas that much more merrier and brighter!
Right before I read this, I was praying for my dad because we’ve had a lot of problems as a family lately that have been building up over the past years. I cried reading this because it amazed me how God was there right away to answer my prayers and to comfort me. SO thankful for a Heavenly Father that loves so deeply and fiercely when my earthly father doesn’t. Thank you, SRT.
I love my earthly father but he unfortunately does not show affection. We live approximately seven hours away and he has only come to my home once in the past 14 years. I have tried very hard to go and see him every other year. It wears me out mentally/emotionally to seem to be the only one putting forth effort to develop a relationship with him. It gives me comfort knowing I have a heavenly father who loves me unconditionally.
……. ” How magnificent to have a father who loves you so ferociously that he’d proclaim truth over you. But then I remember, I do have a Father who does that! He has already saved me, He has already planned for me good works to do in His name, and He loves me fiercely. “.
Oh Julie my heart goes out to you. I too have s strained relationship with my father. He recently was hospitalized and I told him that I loved him and he said I love you. That’s the first time in my 57 years of life that I recall him saying those three words
This has touched me so deeply. Thank you for the reminder that our worthiness cannot be determined by an imperfect man… And the reminder to build up our daughters (and sons) and speak strong words of blessing over them. I want my girl (and boys) to feel the strong love of their earthly father so that they have the tiniest inkling of the grand love of their Heavenly Father.
Drasch your so right what a great reminder that we are a tiny example of our Heavenly Fathers love to others especially our children!
What did Jesus do for us through his life and death? “He enabled us to serve Him without fear.” (Luke 1:74b) This verse just completely blows me away. There is no longer any reason to fear- we are in a covenant of love with a loving and tender Heavenly Father. We serve Him out of love! We encounter Him through love! We fellowship with Him out of love! Where is duty, where is law??? Perfect love has replaced all fear and we see that beautiful love through the Son giving up everything to restore us to God. And the Father giving up his Son and speaking life over us! Praise the Lord for his goodness!
Love this! You’re post reminds me of a song by Indelible Grace called “Love Constraining to Obedience”. It starts with “to see the law by Christ fulfilled, to hear his pardoning voice, changes a slave into a child, and duty into choice”. I’m oh so thankful to serve God out of love, not fear!!
I have had the opposite experience with my dad- we have a great and loving relationship. But the teachable moment is still there. If my dad and I have such a strong bond and affection, how much greater and better is my Heavenly Father's relationship with me and His affection?
Thank you for sharing melody you are so right!
Ah thanks Melody! My relationship with my dad couldn’t be stronger it more furled with respect and adoration. I was struggling to relate to this devotional and couldn’t find the message for me – I think you’ve hit the nail on the head! God bless x
I emailed last week to let y’all know on the app in HCSB version what Zechariah writes on the tablet is MIA. It says he wrote….. :( Obviously he wrote, “His name is John.”
I love this!
Thanks Hayley. I needed this.
Thanks for joining us, Anne! We love having you!
xoxo-Kaitlin for She Reads Truth
Thanks Hayley! I think we may have a mutual friend – I think your freshman roommate is my best friend. :) I grew up and still live in Carmel. Anyway, I appreciate your words today. Thankful for a Father who loves us more than we will ever imagine!
Hey Hayley- I did not mean college roommate, I meant high school friend, Leslie. Sorry!!
“To grant us that we, being rescued from the hand of our enemies, might serve Him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before Him all our days”. He rescued me. “Translated me from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of His dear Son”. Darkness to light. Bondage to freedom. I can approach Him without fear because He is my perfect, holy, loving, merciful Father! And He gives me the privilege of showing His goodness to others every day.
I was one of the fortunate ones I guess. Even though my Dad passed away of a heart attack the day after I turned 16. I had him long enough to know how much he loved us, a God fearing man, a good provider. We never doubted his love for us, such a good example. I feel so bad for you gals who couldn’t/didn’t have a good relationship with your Dads, I truly do,I’m sorry. But to know we have our Heavenly Father who loves us even more!!, is such a comfort. Praying for all of you sisters to feel that love today. Xo
"to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the way of peace." (v. 79)
praying over how God wants me to show His light and guide those in my path to His way of peace…..
Father, help me to let your light shine. amen.
Oh Kendall, right there with you. I pray this everyday. :)
The above message is for stinav96.
Please find comfort in knowing that you are not alone in how you feel. Trust in God and continue to reach out to him in prayer in regards to how you are feeling. He will take care of you and guide you on this journey called motherhood which is one of the toughest jobs. Please know you are a great mom and God chose you to be a mother to your children. Peace to you and may your Christmas be filled with what you hoped for, love, joy and faith.
Thank you, Sophia! :) I appreciate your encouragement!
Thank you for acknowledging grief can accompany joy. I think it will be like that until Jesus comes again. I wait for Him like the sunrise-love how that’s what Zachariah calls Him: Sunrise. Reminds me of my favorite Christmas song ever, O Holy Night. “A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.” Come again Jesus!
Marijoy, the sunrise image was my favorite part of this passage, too! Come, Lord Jesus!
xoxo-Kaitlin for She Reads Truth
Friends, would you pray for me? Right now, I'm failing to see much good in my children, and while I love them, I'm feeling a loss of love. And the most hurtful thing is that this loss and failure is not their fault but is ours as parents. I am not sure how to instill in them a deeper concern for others, a more joyful spirit (how can I instill those things when I am not experiencing them, myself?), a desire to work hard at something worthwhile. I am pretty sure I know what needs to be done. Again, the failure is mine, and they will feel like they are being punished, but my sweet children only act the way I've come to allow them to be taught to act. I want to be able to take them places and not feel like they are disrupting everyone around them. I want to enjoy my time with them. I want to find joy in being with them, whether at home or elsewhere. And thus begins our day. My heart is heavy for my own attitude and sin. I really would appreciate your prayers. I want our Christmas to be full of love, joy, and faith, not heart struggle, disconnect, and discouragement. Thank you, friends.
I will be praying for you. Be encouraged.
Thank you for your prayers! They were much felt yesterday!
Praying! :)
Thank you! I could tell I was being prayed through the day!
Prayers for you absolutely
Thank you, Jenn! I could feel them!
I have totally been there, sister, with my three kids. I do lots of “stuff” to get them to focus on Jesus and combat all the world’s messages at Christmas then they turn around and act horrible in some way or another. It’s hard not to feel awful like its a complete reflection of me. We can do our best as God asks and leave their hearts to Him. Also… Hebrews 12:11. NO discipline is pleasant at the time, but remember that long term harvest of righteousness that we are after!! Let’s press on (Hebrews 12:1-2) I am praying for you today.
Thank you for your encouragement! I think I tend to expect too much rather than leaving room for children to be children and for God to be God. I could really feel the prayers yesterday! I appreciate it!
Praying for you Stinav96
Thank you, Shauna! I knew we were bathed in prayer yesterday. I really apprecaite it!
Oh Stina. It really is the hardest calling ever, being a mom! It's the everyday-ness, the "nibbled to death by geese", that is really hard! I don't know how old your kids are, but I know all us parents have these walls of futility. As painful as they are, that's where we accept what isn't working, and walk the maze to find a way through. Your heart for your children is obvious…they ARE lucky to have you. I pray you will fall in love with them again today, and may your Christmas make wonderful memories as a family.
Thank you so much, Liz! That is exactly what it felt like a couple of days this week: "nibbled to death by geese"!!!! We homeschool, so I easily lose perspective, since I'm in the middle of it all day-in and day-out. I really was aware of the prayers yesterday. We had a great day! Thank you again!
Praying for you. Know that it’s not your fault! Your kids will grow up and better understand what it means to be respectful.
Thank you, Sarah! They are learning, you know? How much I forget that God has to tell me over and over and over and over and over again before I "get it" most of the time! How can I expect them to get it after one time? I really appreciate it! Thank you so much for those felt prayers! They made a huge difference in our day!
Praying for you…
Thank you, Jenny! I could so tell you were praying yesterday! If you remember just to mention us to the Lord again sometime, I'd really appreciate it!
I will be praying God will guide you with your kids. Also praying He will fill in where parenting is lacking. We all have these areas and are so not perfect. The good news is God is perfect and all we have to do is ask with the faith of a mustard seed! It's awesome! I will also be praying you drop the word failure/failing from your vocabulary. I plagued myself with that word for years. I have only resently realized that it was the enemy's favorite way to attack me…failing as a wife and mother. So not true…as it is not true for you. How can you possibly fail when you are a daughter of the One True King!!
Thank you, Heather! And isn't it just like what I think commenter Brooke said a few comments up, that we can trust our children to God, even through our lack in parenting, because HE will use our lack to bring abundance in their lives. I spend a lot of time feeling like we are on the right track, but something about the Christmas season seems to highlight the areas we are missing. Thank you, again! Thank you for your prayers!
Oh sweetheart, please don’t be so hard on yourself. Motherhood truly is the hardest job in the world. We are given such a big responsibility in raising them, and no one can do it perfectly. We have all been there sister. I pray for you this morning that you have and show a love for your kids that is truly noticeable to them, and you. One that only comes from our wonderful Father, who loves us NO Matter what we go. And please dear, show that love to yourself too, you are a daughter of a King! Xoxo to you.
Thank you, Beth! This is a precious message. I so appreciate your prayers. They were noticeable yesterday through our day. We even made it through Walmart with an unplanned trip to the service desk with no incidents! :)
Praying for the Lord to fill you up with his love and grace so that you can extend that to your children!!
Catherine, praying for the Lord to fill you up with the peace that only he can give you. When dealing with deaths and hardships in this life, Jesus is literally the ONLY hope we have! But he is more than enough hope!
This is my first Christmas without my father and I can't express how much I miss having him here. Yet, I know that he is praising Jesus every moment in Heaven and I will see him again, one day.
When my father was three years old, his father died in a car accident. My grandmother moved back home, never remarried and worked hard in a time when women rarely worked outside the home. Even though my father never knew what it was like to have a dad, nor did he have a role model for himself to emulate with my brothers and me, he did a superb job and was the best.dad.ever.
Psalm 68:5 sings praises God as the father of the fatherless and defender of widows. I praise Him that I am His child today. And praising Him for being the perfect Father.
I’m thankful every day for a Dad who loved me unconditionally and taught me Truth daily. I miss him so much – and especially at Christmas. His birthday would be next week too. Thank you Jesus for a wonderful example of Your relationship with me … and let me learn from it and bring Truth to those I spend time with today.
Haley, thank you for being open and honest, yet still remaining respectful to your father while sharing. It's such a difficult thing to I'm finding – being honest sharing our life stories, our hurts and struggles, while still honoring the people that have hurt us.
I love to remember, and need to remind myself more often, that God is truly our Father. When our earthly Father's, in whatever way, fall short and we, as parents, miss the mark with our own children, I'm so thankful that we don't have to carry the weight of perfect on either side.
Whether as a longing child or a messed-it-up-again parent, we can put our full weight and trust on the Lord. He can handle our mess, however big it is. He can handle our doubts and fears, and beckons us to climb up into his Daddy-lap and tell him all about it.
I'm grateful for a God that is near; a God that comforts, upholds and protects. He is so personal and intensely relational with us – He is just SO good to us. The perfect Father.
Ahh! I'm that "messed-it-up-again" parent today. Thank you!
Thank you for sharing. In my current situation I keep wanting my earthly father to stand up for me, defend my honor and really be my hero. I know this is still a little girls dream I’ve had ALL my life. Thank you for the reminder that I do have a hero and a true savior!
Hayley,
My father's father was an alcoholic, and he abandoned the family when my father was just a few years old. I never met him, because he died when my father was around 16. Somehow, through the unshakeable love of a single mother, and the grace of God, my father and his two brothers didn't follow in his footsteps. And while it's so very sad that they were abandoned that way (not just by their father, but by his whole family), I'm glad they didn't have to witness his destructive decisions day in and day out. They felt his decisions day in and day out, as they struggled to make ends meet, but they didn't have to see or feel him, witness his destruction inside their home.
I'm sure there are so many times my father has wished for a father who loved him, spoke blessing over him, or even just cared about him. But in God's sovereignty, having a father who didn't do those things made my father determined to be an amazing father. I've been blessed because God removed my grandfather from my father's life, and I'm pretty sure my father wouldn't change that.
It's so hard to trust when we can't see. My grandmother will never see the fruit of her choice to fight for her sons…how she impacted generations to come. But God sees, and He knew it even as my grandfather walked out the door.
Haley, I'm praying today that God will give you fresh eyes to see how not having a doting father has made you an even better mom for your precious sons (crazy as that may seem), and will further His plans for the Kingdom through your family. Blessings and Merry Christmas to you :)
Such an amazing reminder – and such an amazing God!
This truth has brought such peace to me over the years I've mourned my Dad. I've said so many times how incredibly wonderful my Dad was and how thankful I am for the time I had with them. My husband's reality was and is very different than mine. His father died an alcoholic when my husband was just 16, and after years of angry torment. Those elements were seen greatly in our life in peculiar ways over the years and I've often felt so bady that *this* was my husband's experience, BUT where reality divides our experiences, truth bonds them. We both have a generous Father in heaven who refreshes us and builds us up, who we can spend time with here while looking forward to in heaven. One who speaks life over us and weaves us together in His great love of us! ~ B
What a wonderful Father we do have ladies! When I too was struggling to keep my eyes on Him as my ultimate Father; and was thinking of the ways my earthly father had and was letting me down- a friend sent me this: http://youtu.be/gt5e8_jN5vA
The truth our daddy speaks over us! Happy Christmas SRT Sisters
That was beautiful!
That was beautiful! Thank you for sharing that
Hi Rebekah. I would love to watch this too, but can't bring it up. Is it possible to make it a link to click on? Hope that makes sense…techno-challenged here.
Not challenged at all! Ok does it work like this? http://youtu.be/gt5e8_jN5vA if not type ‘Father God’s love letter with lyrics’ into YouTube and it should come up as the first video. Love to you sister!
Earlier this year I was asked to minister the word on Father's Day. My pastor also asked to minister on Father's day in 2013 as well. When I ministered this year it was different, you see I grew up with father who was a functional alcoholic. He wasn't a mean father and he was in the home, but he was still absent. Well, I thought I had gotten past all that, but while I ministered the word on Father's day this year, God spoke to me and said when you speak of your earthly father you only speak of the bad things he did. God ask me to write of list of all the positive things my daddy did in my life. I wrote them down and was surprised at how the good things outweighed the bad. While I was speaking, I began to tell everyone about the good things he did and right there at the pulpit I began to cry (I am not a crier normally) and something broke in me and I am so free now. I can call my earthly father daddy again. He passed away in 1980, but as I am writing this I am smiling to remembering the great times. I have a heavenly father who loves me enough to show me when I have missed the mark.
Thank you so much for reminding me today that I had pretty good earthly dad, but an AWESOME heavenly father.
Be blessed!
Thanks Haley for sharing your story. There are too many of us who have similar stories. Thank you too refreshedwoman. That made me cry, I'm gonna do the same exercise you did. Thank you God that my children have a Great Father in earth.
I am glad it helped you, it certainly brought about a great change.
Thank you so much for sharing your story with us today, Haley! This hit spot on. Having an absent father for most of my life, this really spoke volumes to me – especially your lines: "When I read these words from Zechariah, I think, How magnificent to have a father who loves you so ferociously that he’d proclaim truth over you. But then I remember, I do have a Father who does that!" It's always encouraging to hear that I'm not the only girl on earth with earthly father problems, but it's even better to know that my heavenly Father is bigger than it all. PTL!
Amen! I am also so grateful to hear that I am not alone in having father problems. Just now I was praying that God would work in my heart to be more gracious towards my own father. I have been struggling for years to see the positive side, yet what a challenge it is! Every now and then I think of the kind of father I don’t have and begin to pity myself. Yet oh how faithfully our Father in heaven has been to show me what I do have, WHO I do have. I have an eternal Father whose heart never runs out of a ferocious and jealous love for me!! Praise the Lord indeed!
I’m right there too. I have good parents, but there are many differences between them and I. The relationships are always a struggle. I pray often for me to be more accepting of them add they are, but it is so hard.
My father is a good man, and a devoted child of God. I am blessed to have him. If I think he is as great as I do, how much greater will our Father in heaven be? That father cared enough for us that he saved us.
So amazing to know that God chooses to work through frail people’s, like myself. That brings joy to my heart.
Isn't that just such an amazing truth, Ashli?! I'm so thankful. We love having you here!
xoxo-Kaitlin for She Reads Truth
“The feather is still,
Yet quivers so.
The arrow breaks
When He bends His bow
Of mighty thunder.
He shakes the ground
With an ever so quiet sound.
His voice is soft,
Yet it’s always clear.
God wants you back
And end’s drawing near.”
-The Autumn Robin
Beautiful