Note: This meditation originally appeared in Scripture Union’s “Closer To God” daily Bible reading series.
PREPARE
Consider one thing that happened over the weekend, no matter how mundane or regular, that indicates God’s provision and love for you, and give thanks for it.
READ
Luke 1:1-25
EXPLORE
We all experience life-changing events. Some are expected and planned for – a wedding, moving house, the birth of a child. Others come upon us unexpectedly: a chance meeting, an accident, a sudden illness, reminding us we are often subject to circumstances beyond our control – and sometimes turning our lives upside down.
Zechariah was about to experience just such a circumstance. It was his priestly division’s turn of duty at the temple – a regular, expected event that had been in the diary for months. But then the lots are drawn for entry into the temple, and his name is drawn out – that comes as a major surprise; a unique opportunity to serve (a priest could only offer incense once in his lifetime); perhaps even good fortune finally for a man who has had his share of disappointments in life.
You get the feeling Zechariah doesn’t enter the temple full of faith and expectation, however. Even when the angel of God Himself appears, he responds with unbelief (v 18), and you can almost see the look on Gabriel’s face, showing a little disbelief himself (v19) as he is confronted with Zechariah’s lack of faith!
What about us? We might be faithful, dependable church people, but do we mix our activity with faith, recognising the hand of God in the mundane and the ordinary, in the unexpected and the traumatic? How does it affect our attitude when we recognise it is God who plans the rota, and God who rolls the dice in our lives?
RESPOND
Ask God to open your eyes to His activity in everything that happens to you today.