Don’t fear. Your prayer has been heard.

Although Christmas season is long gone and we have entered a new year let us look back at a story usually told around Christmas. We will look at Luke 1 verses 5-15.

During the rule of Herod, King of Judea,
there was a priest assigned service in the regiment of Abijah.
His name was Zachariah. His wife was descended from the daughters of Aaron.
Her name was Elizabeth.
Together they lived honorably before God,
careful in keeping to the ways of the commandments
and enjoying a clear conscience before God.
But they were childless because Elizabeth could never conceive,
and now they were quite old.
It so happened that as Zachariah was carrying out his priestly duties before God,
working the shift assigned to his regiment,
it came his one turn in life to enter the sanctuary of God and burn incense.
The congregation was gathered and praying outside
the Temple at the hour of the incense offering.
Unannounced, an angel of God appeared just to the right of the altar of incense.
Zachariah was paralyzed in fear.
But the angel reassured him, “Don’t fear, Zachariah. Your prayer has been heard.
Elizabeth, your wife, will bear a son by you. You are to name him John.
You’re going to leap like a gazelle for joy,
and not only you—many will delight in his birth.
He’ll achieve great stature with God.

Here we learn about Zachariah and Elizabeth for whom it is mentioned - Together they lived honorably before God, careful in keeping to the ways of the commandments and enjoying a clear conscience before God. This is the first and most important thing that struck me about them. Too often we forget that it all starts here -

  • Living honourably before God by
  • Being careful in keeping His commands
  • Which leads to enjoying a clear conscience before God

(I have talked about the commands of God before and they are simple - Love God and love others)

Zachariah and Elizabeth though have a great lack in their life - they do not have a child's blessing and now they are old. Sometimes, we feel when we have a great lack that God is not for us or He is not listening to our prayers. We may become discouraged and stop living for the love of God, we may become bitter towards God and others when our prayers are not answered for long. Thankfully Zachariah and Elizabeth did not do that. In fact, God had a huge plan for them.

From the verses we read that - at the right time, even though when they were quite old, an angel of God appeared to Zachariah and said -

Don’t fear. Your prayer has been heard.

There are two ways to look at this. One perspective is that so far God did not hear their prayers and now He has turned His ear to them. Or there is another way to look at it - God had heard their plea for a child when they first asked Him but looking at their life and obedience He thought - You know what, I will give them not just a child, but a child for whom Jesus said - "I say unto you, Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist"

Zachariah and Elizabeth were so blessed that they had a child who was the greatest prophet, the man who prepared the way for Jesus. They did not know this, but the plans of God are sometimes like this. His plans are always for good, He is always listening to our prayers or cry for help. Sometimes we do not get the answer because our idea of timing and need is not according to the great plan or will of God.

In my experience, God is always listening to our prayers, His plan is always for something good, something better than our need and something amazing. We just need to keep the faith and live a life of obedience before God.