What an Old Judean Couple Can Teach Us This Christmas |
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Christmas magnifies our emotions. If we're battling discouragement, the holidays are liable to make it worse. If we've been angry and sad, those emotions may accelerate during the season. A lot of people feel forgotten at Christmas. For some, this is the first Christmas since a loved one passed away. Others find themselves under financial pressure; some are simply tired; others are battling various feelings of rejection. Most people dread the rigors of travel, and the pressure of giving the right gifts to the right people. The story of an old couple in the Judean hills helps me keep my heart and mind cheerful. I've fallen in love with Zachariah and Elizabeth, the original heroes of Christmas. As I write in my book, God Hasn't Forgotten You, before Joseph, Mary, and baby Jesus, there was Zachariah, Elizabeth, and baby John. Everything began with them! After 400 years of silence, God sent his angel Gabriel to give Zachariah a message that triggered the entire Christmas event. The first chapter of Luke is very long; It contains 80 verses. Yet we usually skip it and go straight to Bethlehem and the story of the birth of Jesus in Luke 2. Zachariah and Elizabeth are two of the most overlooked figures in the Bible. They had encountered grief in their lives, for Elizabeth had never been able to get pregnant. They lived in an obscure village, the name of which is lost to us. The times were difficult. Their nation was under Roman domination under that maniacal management of paranoid old king Herod, who lived nearby. - But Zechariah and Elizabeth remind us that God is never late, never absent, and never forgetful.
When we feel out of sorts, He is still orchestrating His plan. Even in the seasons of waiting and disappointment, God is still at work. As we face another Christmas season, we can take their example to heart. Their story offers several practical ways to thrive spiritually and emotionally — even when circumstances aren't ideal. 1. Keep Serving Faithfully, Even When Your Miracle Hasn't Come When the angel Gabriel appeared to Zechariah, he was faithfully performing his priestly duties in the temple (Luke 1:8–9). Decades of disappointment and the trials of old age hadn't pushed him away from the Lord's work. He and Elizabeth kept doing what was right, living wisely and serving diligently. What an example! Yes, you may feel weary, unseen, or emotionally dry — but like Zechariah, you can stay faithful in the daily routines of obedience. Keep showing up for worship. Keep reading your Bible. Keep serving in small, unseen ways. God often breaks His silence while we're doing the ordinary. He hasn't forgotten. He blesses us as we simply learn to "do the next thing." |
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The Lord hasn't forgotten me — and I will not forget Him. |
The Lord hasn't forgotten me — and I will not forget Him. |
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2. Remember That God's Silence Is Not His Absence When Gabriel showed up in the temple with God's authoritative message for Zechariah, it was the first time the Lord had spoken in an inspired way for centuries. But His silence was not abandonment — it was preparation. God was quietly aligning the generations, setting the stage for the Messiah's appearance. In the same way, Zechariah and Elizabeth had waited for a baby for decades. The Lord seemed slow to speak to Israel or to act on behalf of this faithful couple, but Luke's account shows us this was not wasted time; it was holy delay. I've found the same true for us. When your prayers for healing, provision, or restoration seem unanswered, don't assume God has forgotten. His delays are not denials — they are sacred pauses in which He deepens your faith and refines your trust. God's timing is perfect. When you feel forgotten, remind yourself that Zechariah and Elizabeth's story began just when they thought it was nearly over. Make space for silence this Christmas — not the silence of despair, but the quietness of listening. Turn off the noise, step away from the rush, read Luke 1, and visualize the unfolding events. Make yourself at home in Zechariah's humble house and learn from him, and from Elizabeth, Mary, and Gabriel. 3. Keep Praying Even When It Feels Too Late Speaking of Gabriel, he told Zechariah, "Your prayer has been heard" (Luke 1:13). Those words must have startled the old priest. It's likely he hadn't prayed for a child in years. He and Elizabeth had stopped asking, for they were "very old" and "well along in years" (Luke 1:7, 18). Yet God never forgets a single sigh. Some of your prayers may feel old and unanswered. Maybe you've prayed for reconciliation with a family member, for direction in a difficult season, or for relief from loneliness. Like Zechariah, you may have given up hope. But the Lord keeps your prayers stored in His heart, waiting for the fullness of time to release their answer. Elsewhere Luke reminds us, we "should always pray and not give up" (Luke 18:1). Take time each day of Advent to bring one specific longing back to God—not as a demand, but as an act of trust. Whisper, "Lord, You haven't forgotten." The prayers that feel most impossible may be the ones closest to fulfillment. 4. Rejoice in What God Is Doing for Others One of the tenderest moments in Luke 1 is Elizabeth's reaction when Mary visits her. Instead of comparing blessings or resenting another's miracle, Elizabeth rejoices: "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear!" (Luke 1:42). Christmas invites us to celebrate others' joy even if our own hearts are aching. Maybe you're single and watching friends gather with families, or you're grieving while others seem carefree. Elizabeth's example reminds us that genuine joy multiplies when shared. Try this simple practice: every time you're tempted to compare yourself with someone else, turn it into thanksgiving. Thank God for the blessings others are receiving—and trust that He's working uniquely in your story too. The same God who remembered Zechariah and Elizabeth remembers you. When you feel unseen, He is near. When you feel forgotten, He is faithful. So this year, amid the lights and noise, pause long enough to whisper: "The Lord hasn't forgotten me — and I will not forget Him." |
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"God's delays are not denials — they are sacred pauses in which He deepens your faith and refines your trust." His timing is perfect even when it feels like your prayers are old and unanswered. Don't give up hope! Keep listening. Keep waiting. God is near! ~ Devotionals Daily |
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24 Remarkable Ways God Is Working in You and Through You |
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+ FREE shipping on all orders over $20 with code SHIP20 |
Through the story of Zechariah and Elizabeth, we are reminded that God remembers us and keeps His promises. Robert Morgan dives deep into Scripture around the birth of the Messiah and helps us discover the glorious, victorious life that awaits us in Christ. The story of Zechariah and Elizabeth is often overlooked in the story of Christmas, as people jump right to Luke chapter 2, glossing over the importance of this elderly couple's story. The angel Gabriel announced to them that they would bear a son, John, who would prepare the way for the Lord Jesus. They were the original heroes, faithfully serving the Lord and studying His Hebrew Scriptures every day, when God burst into their lives and gave them the opportunity to set into motion the events triggering the first coming of Christ. |
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God has been planning something special for you for a long time! Maybe it feels as long as those 400 years between the Old and New Testaments, and you've grown weary of waiting for a Word from the Lord. Are you discouraged? Have you given up hope? As you examine closely the amazing story in Luke chapter 1, you will discover 24 God lessons that will impact your life, including how: - God appointed you for this very time,
- God works grace into your grief,
- God wants to use you whatever your age,
- God can eradicate fear from your heart, and
- God desire your help in raising up a new generation to serve him.
God intends to give you Spirit-filled life and a Christ-centered victory. He intends to use your preordained personality for His preordered purposes. Zechariah and Elizabeth want to tell us that God delights in sneaking up on His children with blessings unforeseen, with grace from above, so that we can experience a glorious, victorious life through Jesus. |
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More from Robert J. Morgan | + FREE shipping on all orders over $20 with code SHIP20 |
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The GREAT Morning Revolution Online Bible Study |
The GREAT Morning Revolution Online Bible Study |
Change your entire day by how you start your morning. In The Great Morning Revolution with Tara Beth Leach, you'll go from scattered to spiritually centered—before the day begins. Using the GREAT framework—Gratitude, Reflect, Exalt, Ask, Trust—you'll build a gentle, flexible morning practice to deepen your relationship with God Join The Great Morning Revolution Online Bible Study and get access to six teaching videos and other helpful tools—all FREE when you sign up! |
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