“And listen! Your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is now the sixth month with her who was called barren. For with God nothing is ever impossible and no word from God shall be without power or impossible of fulfilment.” Luke 1:36-37 (Amplified)
The promise that “All things work together for the good of those who love the Lord and are called according to His purpose” Rom 8:28 can sometimes be very consoling or distressing depending on your personal circumstance as well as your understanding of such situation in the light of God’s plan for your life. If God had revealed His plan to you, you would most likely have understand what is going on and patiently await the fulfilment of His plan, but if you are none the wiser about His plans or how you fit in, then you are in for a rough time.
Zechariah and Elizabeth was a lovely and godly couple whose life was mired by their inability to produce an offspring. Like most childless couples, they had prayed to God for a child for many years, but seeing no change in the circumstance, concluded that their lot in life was to end it childless and had become comfortable with that reality. It eventually turned out that God had granted their request, but had also post-dated His response. God had decided to reward this pious couple with a child of spiritual stature to herald the coming Messiah. The only snag for the couple was that the time was not yet ripe for the Messiah to be born or revealed. So, they had to wait for God’s perfect timing. When that time finally arrived and God revealed His plan to them, it seemed too good to be true. Exactly six months later, God revealed the plan for the Messiah’s birth to Mary and immediately linked it to Elizabeth’s pregnancy. He then organised an impromptu meeting between these two women, which was designed to mutually encourage as well as spiritually strengthen each other for the challenges ahead. God knew that both pregnant women required fellowship and the meeting of minds that dealing with hard situations often necessitate.
John’s purpose was to prepare the people to receive their Messiah; hence the need for him to be born close to the Messiah’s birth. This called for synchronisation of births on God’s part, hence the timing of Elizabeth’s and Mary’s conceptions. So, what can we learn about God’s character from this story. It shows that His informed delay does not necessarily equate to His denial of the essence of His promise to us. How quickly He responds to our request is often guided by the larger factor of how those requests fit into His plans for our lives and His eternal plan for the world’s salvation. He is the Master of time and perfect timing who is never too early or too late. He is always on time. So if you are having to celebrate this Christmas still awaiting the manifestation of God’s answer to your request in line with His word, take the courage to persevere by acknowledging the fact that God will ultimately cause all things to work for your good and fulfil His promise to you because He cannot lie and in that faith-full frame of mind, go on and enjoy a wonderful Christmas.
Prayer:
Lord, with the Psalmist, I declare that my times are in your hand and that you will perfect that which concerns me and not forget the works of your hand. I thank you because my time will come and that I shall yet praise you for answered prayers, for nothing is impossible for you. Hallelujah!!!