And immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, blessing God.
Luke 1:64 (ESV)
Today's Passage – Luke 1:57-79 (ESV)
Zechariah’s friends and family watched as he struggle to live without words for 9 long months. Forty weeks of silence. The pent-up frustration must have been agonizing– I can hardly keep quiet long enough to let someone finish his/her thoughts, let alone the duration of a long-awaited pregnancy!
Zechariah’s unbelief and silence had left plenty of time to think about his life in relation to the character of God. He must have wrestled with the same questions that plague our souls today.
“Can God be trusted?”
“Is He reliable?”
“Is He good…to me?”
He shows his heart response to those questions, when, in accordance with God’s will, he names his son John, rather than the traditional naming after a relative. Then, when God filled Zechariah with the Holy Spirit, he opened his mouth. And what were the first words he spoke?
“…and he spoke, blessing God.”
Words of praise spilled out from his believing heart! (v. 67-79) Yes, God can be trusted and Yes, the promised rescue mission of a Messiah is now to be fulfilled. Plus, Zechariah’s son, John, the forerunner of the Messiah, would play a pivotal role in salvation history. This was what the entire Old Testament had been building up to!
News of Zechariah’s recovery and prophecy spread like wildfire to everyone in his city. Their hearts wondered, “Could this be the crescendo of all of history? God’s character and His word to them through Zechariah was the hope they had to believe.
Do you struggle to believe the character of God is enough to satisfy your every longing? Is it woven into your soul in such a way that it spills from your believing heart for those around you to hear and ponder?
Take this time to bring your honest heart to God in prayer…ask that He help your unbelief and fill your heart with the confidence to share Him with others.
Consider this quote about Zechariah:
“Unbelief had closed Zechariah’s mouth, and believing opened it up again; he believes, therefore He speaks. When God opens our lips, our mouths must show forth his praise; and better to be without speech than not to use it in praising God.”
– Matthew Henry
Take some time to meditate on the attributes of God today. Here’s a great list to get you started.
Enjoy this powerful video about our King:
Kitty Hurdle | Oxford, MS
Kitty lives and writes in Oxford, MS where she, her husband and two children are on staff with Cru.
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