Text: Luke 1:5-17
I wish I could sit and have a cup of coffee with Elizabeth. I imagine our conversation would be filled with tears and laughter as we talked about our shared struggle of infertility. Isn’t it remarkable that the women of the Bible were real women with real-life hopes and dreams, just like you and me?
As much as I relate to Elizabeth, I am drawn to the story of Zechariah. He was Elizabeth’s provider, protector and lover. He was strong and courageous, and he carried the heavy weight of her barren womb. The rumblings of town gossip must have hurt. I see a lot of my own husband in Zechariah.
It was in the middle of my infertile years that my doctor told me I would need to have surgery to remove some tumors. I remember being terrified knowing there was a chance that I would never be able to have children. My husband was strong but scared. He told me if I came out of surgery whole, he knew God would bless us with a child. During the three hours of surgery he pleaded with God to keep me safe. As I was rolled out of surgery in a semi-conscious state, I remember my husband saying to me, “We will have a baby someday.” The wait for our son took three more years.
Waiting is always so difficult because we never know if our countless prayers will be answered the way we hope. Zechariah and Elizabeth prayed these same kind of waiting prayers. The scriptures say, “And they were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord” (Luke 1:6).
Then, on an ordinary day when Zechariah is going to work at the temple, God put into motion the miraculous details of Zechariah’s story—a beautiful chapter in God’s ultimate plan. Zechariah entered the temple to burn the fragrant fumes of incense that represent the prayers of godly people, those in covenant relationship with God. Outside the temple were a multitude of people, also praying, when an angel appears to Zechariah.
“Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great before the Lord.”
Their prayers mattered. Our prayers matter!
A baby boy who was promised would be named John, which means “the Lord has shown favor.” He was the child who would be tasked with preparing the way for our Savior—preparing the world for the One who would fill them with joy and gladness.
What a beautiful picture of the Christmas season! In this time of Advent—waiting for Christ’s arrival—God is preparing the way for us to have joy, gladness and rejoicing. He hears and receives our desperate prayers. Let us stay faithful to God in prayer and in our actions as we invite others to experience the wonder and miracle of a baby boy that brings joy, gladness and love to the world around us.
“Let my prayer be counted as incense before you.” -Psalm 141:2
Are you praying and preparing the way for someone to experience the Savior?
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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65 thoughts on "The Birth of John the Baptist Foretold"
"He hears and receives our desperate prayers. Let us stay faithful to God in prayer and in our actions as we invite others to experience the wonder and miracle of a baby boy that brings joy, gladness and love to the world around us."
I really needed to be reminded of this. Sometimes I wonder if people who are watching me, think I either don't know how to pray, don't believe what I pray or I pray amiss. Even worst, I wonder if they don't already know God and his awesomeness, if they think He isn't real.
“Let my prayer be counted as incense before you.” -Psalm 141:2
I’ve been told by fertility doctors that my husband and I have a 3% chance of getting pregnant naturally, otherwise we have to try IVF. This devo was a great reminder that God hears our prayers and heals! Thank you!
I love the story of John the Baptist’s birth . Such a good example of God’s faithful and love for his people. He has our best interest and his glory always in mind. He is my joy. He is where the internal peace I have in my heart comes from! No matter what is going on around me, I know I got Jesus and that’s all that really matters!
I am anxious because my daughter of 32 years has yet to meet her partner in life. She grieves so for the family she can’t have. I keep praying that God will give her patience
We know that waiting is the difficult part of prayer but God’s plan is always the perfect way, no matter what!
Thank you for this encouragement today. We too are in a season of waiting for a baby. It is so good to be reminded of the truth that God hears our prayers!
I struggle with the tension of praying and wanting to believe in Gods faithfulness & care, but also knowing his hearing and answering may not look the way I think it should.
Thanks for this. I love the reminder of how human they were. How they struggles with and took joy in similar things. God heard their prayers and hears ours too. Loves us and leads us.
I really wonder what they felt like as a couple praying for so many years for a baby. I wonder if they doubted God's goodness. Then I think about how we get to see the whole picture. How it played out. The plan that God had all along. In God's perfect timing, their son ushered in Jesus Christ.- the Savior. I still think, "God, why so long"? But He had a purpose, and here we are years later being encouraged by their waiting. Such a God-thing.
Most days, I want to give up on my prayers. I think, “how could I pray for such a thing?” I forget that God is a merciful God and that he cares and that my prayers matter.
Life can be hard sometimes. You want something so badly! And you pray and wait and pray and wait. And it seems like God must not hear … or He hears and doesn’t care! But I have to interpret life based on what I know to be true about God! His love, kindness, mercy. His forgiveness. His stability. He does love me. He does hear. He does care. And He has a plan! So big, and so good! I don’t have to understand. I have to believe. And trust. And wait. Even when life is hard. And people hurt me. God is good. In this I must rest!
Thank you so much for this, Antimony. I get so discouraged about things that I’ve longed for and pray for. I begin to stumble and doubt that I am not good enough to receive a loving and Godly husband. I lose hope that I will ever attain a job with my degree or move on career wise. I feel so overwhelmed with Things like loneliness and debt and disappointment in myself. But thank you so much for your comment. You’re right, we must rest in the belief that our prayers matter. Godspeed.
My precious daughter Rachel told me about this devotional- she is a beautiful married young woman who will have her own children one day- it’s such a blessing to watch your children grow up with God and then share His love back to their mother!! Gods word is my comfort and keeps my journey well lit- I can’t see the future, or even what’s up ahead- but I can see the light of God’s love, Jesus, and I will continue to follow Him because it never fails- He always gives me what I need and more!!!
Love you, Mom :)
I have never had to deal with infertility, I am not married. But their prayer lives speak to me the most. How consistent they were through times of trouble speaks such loud volumes to me. I am only 18. A college girl. Still living at home to save money. Without a job at the moment. No man in my life besides my father, church men, and our Heavenly Father/Son. But I am dealing with my own demons and reading stories about the power of prayer gives me such hope for the future. Everything will be okay. Everything that happens is for his glory. He loves me and will not let me falter. So thank you for giving this to us to read today.
Keep fighting, keep praying, keep your eyes & heart on God. Everything WILL be ok :)
This post was exactly what I needed to read today, moments before pulling it up I said to myself how another month has passed and I need to let go…and let God bring us a child if it is in his plan. We have 2 beautiful daughters who I am so grateful for, but have gone through 6 years of infertility to get here. God’s plan is so hard to heed to when you feel like your family is not complete! I am so in awe of the miracle of each life, and the miracle of this season. This is my first study and it has really made the season of Advent so much richer for me. Thank you for the thought provoking devotional!
Thank GOD, yes, thank you God that there is a plan. There always is. He hears our desperate prayers, and He knows our wishes. He knows. This alone is comfort. This alone is feeling His love.
His timing is so perfect! Zechariah was in the temple that day because as a high up priest, one of his duties was to go and pray for the people, to light the incense. This was a truly special day for him and his wife, whether they realized it or not!! God has such special ways of working in our lives and it’s so important to listen to the vocations and callings that He has in store for each and every one of us.
Jess, thank you for sharing! I so needed that reminder today.
I read this today in another advent bible plan. It fitted so well with this and encouraged me so I wanted to share. “A Savior had been promised to God’s people for centuries. They longed and prayed for rescue. And then on the right day, in the right place, at the right time, Jesus was born. While God rarely comes at our appointed time, He always comes at the right time.
All of us are waiting on something, often wondering if God has forgotten us. In your waiting, let the birth of Christ encourage you. Just because God hasn’t come through (as far as you can see), it doesn’t mean He has abandoned you. To Him a day is like a thousand years and a thousand years are like a day. This very minute He’s working for His glory and for your good. Though circumstances say otherwise, God is going to come through, on schedule, fulfilling His long-appointed plans for you. Don’t give up before the time is right.
Take hope in the manger and know that you are loved and prized by the God who stepped down from heaven and arrived at the perfect time for you.”
I know what it’s like to pray endless ‘waiting’ prayers and deal with God’s answer being far different from what I hoped. I lost my way this year, completely overwhelmed by grief, fear and confusion. My faith was badly shaken. But I have learnt through dark valleys that God’s ways are best. I have learnt in prayer to surrender the outcome in His hands. I have faced the crossroads and I am convinced that He is faithful and can be trusted even when His answer is no or totally different from what I hoped and believed.
Wow. What a beautiful post! Jesus, show me who needs to know you, and help me to pray fervently for them to experience Your love! This post goes hand in hand with a blog post I just did yesterday: https://isaiah62blog.wordpress.com/2014/12/13/pra…
Be blessed!
–AnnaLee
Like Others have said above, how perfect is His timing! The last question struck home, I am praying for a few someones to meet the Savior, and one who just met Him to learn to trust Him. I truly should put more effort into those prayers that I have been, and worry less about what I can do (in other ways) because God knows the best things. That’s a pretty great smack, I need to get on my knees more frequently.
God’s time is always perfect … I too struggled with infertility for 7 years and just a year before we found out we were pregnant with twins I had an ectopic pregnancy tube burst and almost lost my life but like Elizabeth and Sarah hoped upon hope….so many days I wept asking God to remove the strong desire to be a mommy….that pain is indescribable. ..But God…I love the but God’s in the Bible …. he blessed us double after our loss keep on hoping keep on asking keep on seeking Him the God who is….He reeally never forsake you….
Keep on praying
Praying for all of you sisters
It has dawned on me that so many of us are in a constant state of waiting. Waiting to be married. Waiting to have a child. Waiting for some thing in life to happen. Some long awaited blessing to come our way. For me, it's a career, a purpose, a joyful path. In light of others deeper heart struggles with 'real' long awaited goodness, I can't help but think that my heart desire is somewhat less than and could be solved if I just fixed this fickle heart of mine. But I also know that God gives us each according to His will for our lives – including heart struggles. And that I cannot 'fix' everything, no matter how hard I strive.
So as I wait with my faithful plea, I think the best I can do is surrender it up to God. Because it is not about my judgement {feelings of what a silly thing to wait on…} of my heart desire that matters, but a letting go to God of anything that my soul is yearning for. I think putting this longing into perspective, surrendering it, focusing on God's goodness and His faithfulness through His Son, my Savior – has the power to realign my heart with Truth and Love and Clarity. And in the end, this is what it is all about – Him.
Oh, yes! Yes.
well said!
Amen, Beverly.
Debbie, thank you for this. This is the first time I Really know what advent is…and I am enjoying it so much. Waiting is not easy,, no matter what your waiting for. My waiting is something totally different than most of the posts. I’ve had my children, and I pray for all of you sweet women who are waiting on such a blessing,and for you girls who are waiting for a husband too.
No, I’m praying and waiting for a healing from this cancer. Sometimes you do wonder if He is hearing these prayers, so I keep praying,,I know He is with me and using this for good. We just need a reminder sometimes that His timing is so very different than ours. Keep strong and keep praying as we wait sisters. God is good! Enjoy your day.
Beth, I just wanted to let you know that your comments do not go unnoticed and are always an encouragement to me. I am standing in agreement with you in your prayers and will continue to pray for you and your healing. Many blessings to you….
Thank you,xo
I’ve also prayed for you today. Bless you.
Thank you,xo
When prayers go unanswered for so long, I know that there is the temptation to just give up hope because you feel like your prayers are falling on deaf ears. I know that because I've felt that. But they don't fall on deaf ears. God hears our prayers and answers them according to His timeline. Not only did that time of waiting strengthen Zechariah and Elizabeth's faith, but when they finally did conceive a child, it was the child who would grow to be the man who would prepare the way for the Savior of us all. Had they conceived a child years earlier, they might've missed this incredible and awesome blessing God had in store for them. Our prayers matter. I pray that our prayers would help pave the way and prepare others to meet Jesus. And I pray that we would be strengthened while we wait for his answer.
Amen! Thank you for that Melody!
It so wonderful to know that hoping is not in vain. I am reminded of Romans 8:25 “But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.”
I've been reading here for a while but never posted. This phrase struck me deeply this morning: "Waiting is always so difficult because we never know if our countless prayers will be answered the way we hope." Isn't that it? We trust wholely in GOD because He knows and we don't. We surrender because He is and we aren't. And in that surrender is repentance. This cuts to the core of who we are, and who we think we are. What a good Word this morning. Thanks be to God.
It’s so discouraging to keep praying for something without knowing if it’s going to happen. For me, it’s praying for a husband. But I can be faithful and praise God because He always finds a way to show me that He hears me. My pleas and petitions do not go unnoticed. There is such comfort in knowing that, even when my hoping and praying seems pointless. I want to hold on to His hope and His promises, especially during this time of year, when I’m encouraged to slow down and truly appreciate the Advent season.
I am struggling so much in the waiting to find a husband! I sometimes question if he hears my prayers! I turn 40 in April and have never been kissed! I struggle w what is wrong with me, why am I not enough and then I read theses devotionals! This Advent series has changed my life! He hears, he knows, he loves me! Praying for you ladies this morning for God to reveal his love to you in a special way!
The writer of any devotion does it so she/he can just reach one person at least and what a blessing it is to hear if many are touched or changed. God is a game changer!
I have read the comments before today's Bible reading and verse 6 really stood out to me and I immediately thought of your comment – Z&E were righteous and blameless, there was nothing wrong with them, but they did not have what they longed for, because God had a special purpose with them. There is nothing wrong with you, but God has a plan for you, whether married or single and He will carry it out if you let him, I am sure! Hope He gives you a very blessed advent and Christmas in His presence!
I know the desire to be married and it is a good one :) But I just want to encourage you that nothing is wrong with you, Carmen! A husband is not essential to your flourishing, but trusting God is. He's got you, girl. You know, I think that the church puts so much emphasis on marriage being the best thing in the world and this has had negative impacts for those who go into it with unrealistic expectations and for the church's community of single people. I wish that the church offered more intellectually compelling and emotional support for single and/or celibate individuals. And that they celebrated them in their singleness!
"But the absence of visible, lifetime singleness within our communities suggests that our affirmation of marriage and the goodness of sexual pleasure have overstepped their boundaries. We cannot affirm the goodness of the created order as Christians without also seeing how it has been caught up and renewed in Christ—which those who are called to celibacy bear witness to by their lives and their love. A church without singles has lost one of its main ways of warning against a sexual idolatry that has driven the whole world mad." – Matthew Lee Anderson
All that to say, I hope and pray that you experience the desire of your heart!! But just know that you are appreciated, loved, and important just as you are in this very moment.
I am challenged today to think of who I can be a "John the Baptist" for. Who can I prepare for the way of the Lord? Who can I show the grace and love of Christ to, that they may come to love our Father?
A beautiful Sunday devotion!
Oh, Lord, may my prayers be just as fervent!
Comparing the desperation of a childless couple pleading for a child to the way I should be praying for those lost in sin is sobering. Really makes me think about how seriously I take that responsibility He has given us. How God must delight when we desperately pray for new life…for a new child in the family of God!
So so true! Love your perspective.
girl, amen. how focused we stay on ourselves and the things that matter in the present.
YES! Let's all pray for new life this Advent season!
Ladies, as I sit here in the quiet before stepping out into the cold to brave the weather and drive to church, I want to lift you up. For those women out there who have held onto barren wombs for far too long and dreamed of one day holding their own tiny bundle of joy, I pray for peace. I pray for hope. I myself have yet to experience the gift of life within, but I hope that one day I will be able to hold onto a tiny baby of my own in order to raise him/her up into the Godly child that God has created. That being said, I simply cannot fathom the hurt and longing that each of you must feel. For this, I am deeply saddened; however, the story is not over. God has a Devine plan for each and every one of you. Maybe this plan includes the gift of pregnancy and maybe it does not. Even still, I pray that each of you get the chance to experience the beauty of motherhood whether it be for your own offspring of for the offering of others. You were made for a purpose and no desire of our own flesh can ever compare to the plan He has for you. Stay strong. Stay hopeful. And I pray you continue to experience joy in the day to day. Again, you are all absolutist gorgeous (both inside and out) daughters of the King and He loves you. Today, I pray that each and every one of you experiences the joy of daily breathing in life given to you as a gift free from worry, expectations, or lack of joy. Instead, I pray that with every breath taken today and every conversation or embrace you feel the love of God. Much love and joy to you all. Reneé
Amen!
Amen.. and I pray .May God bless you,abundantly when your time comes….big hug…x
Thank you ❤️
Debbie, thank you for the challenge to pray for those in need of a Savior. I have family members who need an encounter with Christ. Some, it seems, need a big wow-moment like Zechariah in order to make them believe. I see age taking my grandma closer to her last days. Oh, Lord! Stir her heart! Move in her world like you did for Zechariah, that she might hear you call her name and believe.
What a beautiful post! I found out yesterday that a woman very dear to my heart, who has struggled with years and years of infertility, is now 20 weeks pregnant at 47 years old! Talk about a Christmas miracle!! I know for women who share the same struggle, hearing something like that can stir hope, fear, sadness or envy. It breaks my heart to know that so many women experience empty wombs and I recognise that it may be a part of my own journey one day.
Lord,
My sisters who have lost their babies are heavy on my heart this morning. I know they are heavy on yours, too. When it comes to this it is so easy to lose heart, Jesus. But I thank you that you have given us the instruction and the tools to TAKE HEART when we face these overwhelming circumstances. I lift up my sisters to you and ask that you pour out a blessing on each and every one of them. I pray for those who have never been able to experience their dream of holding their own child. For those who are growing weary in waiting and praying… because we never know if our countless prayers will be answered the way we hope. Father, I ask that you would give each of these women the gift of motherhood, no matter what shape or form it takes. I pray that they would never feel alone, but that they would experience deep relationship, support and community. Affirm their bodies, Lord. Affirm their desires. Affirm how deep and wide your love for them is. Please give all of us an abundance of your peace this morning, which surpasses all our understanding. Amen!
Thank you for your sweet prayer that speaks so deeply to my heart. Tomorrow will be nine years since our son, Caleb, was stillborn. I carried him for six months, which has been my longest pregnancy. It will also be our 13 year anniversary tomorrow. This time of year is always hard for me. I know your prayer means a lot to others like me.
Lifting you up in prayer
Kristy lifting you up in prayer, my love, and praying God comforting peace….xxx
Praying for you Kristy
Bless you Kristy, I pray Jesus will fill you with His presence and comfort. Know that He shares your sorrow. As a nurse I had a mother like you one night as a patient. Her pastor came and before he went in to see the family he asked me "what do I say?" so we prayed together and I had picture of Jesus weeping over the baby. Jesus was grieving with them. In the years since I have sadly had similar cases far too often and when I pray for these families I know Jesus has been grieved by the fallen world we live in.
Bless you and praying!
Thank you so much for this sweet prayer. I needed it ❤️
Rebecca, Praising God for your gift of joy and gladness…I just LOVE our God…
“Let my prayer be counted as incense before you.” ……
May these be the words of my heart..and the meditation of my soul…but most importantly, Lord God, thank you for everything, EVERYTHING! As I sit here, I can hear the happy voices of my family, music to my heart, my soul sings, I have joy, and gladness and its all gifts and love from you, thank you…
Let my Praise be counted as incense before you…. Amen…
Sister's, happy Sunday…I pray you are filled with joy and gladness this God given day…Be Blessed….with love, Tina….xxx
Wonderfully said! God bless you and your Christmas :)