He Has Heard Your Prayers
Did you hear me? How often have you asked this question , or been asked the question by someone. My mother would often ask me that question when I failed to give her some acknowledgment that her words had registered with me and that I was taking the appropriate action. But in this world, when the vulnerable, unprivileged, and powerless cry out, their pleas often go unheard and unanswered. Leading many to give up In hopelessness. After years of praying for a child, Zachariah and his wife Elizabeth felt as though their time had passed and their prayers had gone unheard and unanswered. But in our scripture this week (Luke 1:8-20), God showed that He not only heard Zechariah’s prayers but His answer would be a blessing beyond Zechariah’s dreams. He and Elizabeth would have a son (John) who would bless both Zechariah and the nation of Israel. May God bless you this week to assure you that He has heard your prayer and your answer is on the way! Amen
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Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside. (Luke 1:8-10) The number of priests eligible to serve in the temple was so great that a priest would serve as part of a division that rotated time working in the temple. As such, a priest might be selected once in their lifetime to serve as the priest offering sacrifice at the alter of incense with the responsibility to offer prayers to the Lord an behalf of Israel. Such was the ‘once in a lifetime’ honor that Zechariah received when the lot fell to him. At that time, Israel had not heard any prophetic word from God for 400 years. Additionally, Israel was suffering under the occupation and oppression of the Roman Empire. So devout Jews were praying fervently for the Lord to intervene and to send the promised Messiah who would restore Israel to greatness and glory under God. And as Zechariah was praying inside the temple for the consolation and salvation of Israel, worshipers were assembled outside the temple, also praying fervently for God’s intervention in their circumstance as a nation.
Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John. He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born. He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” (Luke 1:11-17) While Zechariah was seemingly chosen by random lot to offer prayer to the Lord on that day, the hand of God is clearly orchestrating events. These verses should remind us that God is always in control! Zechariah and his wife Elizabeth were devout and righteous in God’s eyes. Because of their obedience and faithfulness, God planned to use them. They had prayed for many years for a child, but were unable to have one. Elizabeth was past childbearing years and they had probably given up hope that God would answer that prayer. But now as Zechariah knelt at the altar of incense praying to the Lord on behalf of Israel, an angel of the Lord (Gabriel) stood before him and told him that the Lord had heard his prayer and was sending the answer. The answer would not only fulfill Zechariah’s prayer for a child, but also fulfill Israel’s prayer by preparing the way for the coming of the Messiah. His son would have a specific mission and purpose in service to God. He would lead Israel into repentance and prepare their hearts to receive the Messiah. God gave instructions to Zechariah about the child so that he would fulfill his purpose. His name was to be John and he was to live a Nazerite life by refraining from fermented drink and being set apart to God. Well before the Holy Spirit came at Pentecost to live within all believers, John would be filled with the power of the Holy Spirit while still in the womb .
Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.”
The angel said to him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their appointed time.” (Luke1:18-20) Zechariah’s question (how can I be sure of this?) reveals a limited faith in God’s power. He revealed a mindset that his and Israel’s problems were greater than their God. He and Elizabeth had prayed for a son for so long and now they were old. Likewise, Israel had prayed for 400 years without a word from the Lord. Zechariah had waited so long for God to act on both of these prayers and the situation looked so dire, that his faith that God had heard them and his hope that God would act to answer these prayers had been diminished. Zechariah asked for a sign, and in response God silenced him until John’s birth. God in essence told him, “be still and know that I am God”. The Angel Gabriel had brought Zechariah “good news” of the coming Messiah and the salvation He would bring. And Zechariah, through his son would have a part in this blessing. But because of his little faith Zechariah would not be able to fully enjoy the blessing.
What happens when you have been praying and praying but have not seen the answer to your prayers? When that happens, it may be difficult to hold on to your faith and trust that God has heard your prayers and will answer them. Zechariah found himself in that position. He and Elizabeth had prayed for a child for years until at long last, she was beyond childbearing age. When you’ve been praying that long, it is possible to lose hope that God will answer your prayer. That’s why, even as Zechariah was praying at the altar in God’s holy temple, he still had a hard time believing that God would or even could answer his prayers for a child. But Gabriel assured him, “your prayer has been heard” and God is taking action. You need to know that no matter how long you have been praying for your blessing, you can be be encouraged…because, God has heard your prayers! And in His perfect timing, and in his perfect way, He will answer you.
Blessings,
Rev. Glenn
