Tuesday, Day 10: "Surprised and Happy"

For Kids:

This is a story of when a woman was surprised, and became very happy for it.

Do you remember what happened when Zachariah was in the Temple?  That’s right, an angel of the Lord appeared to him, and told him that He and His wife Elizabeth were going to have a son!

When the angel, whose name was Gabriel, told Zachariah the news, he didn’t believe it.  He said, “No Way, I’m too Old, it can’t happen.”

Gabriel, the angel, told him he would leave and would not speak because he did not 

believe what God had told him he was going to do.

Just like that, Zachariah couldn’t speak, and remember, he would stay that way until the baby John would be born to him…almost for a whole year.

Zachariah had a wife.  Her name was Elizabeth.

When Zachariah came home he couldn’t tell Elizabeth what happened.  He couldn’t speak!  But he could write things down, and perhaps he used sign language to tell her about the Angel Gabriel’s visit, and the words the angel told him.

OH Happy day…Elizabeth had wanted a baby for a long time, and she was so happy to hear what God had told Zachariah – and she believed it! 

Not long after that Elizabeth became pregnant.  I think, when Elizabeth knew she was going to have a baby, that she laughed – a big, happy laugh!

God’s word says it like this:  Luke 1:22-25
²²  When he [Zachariah] came out and couldn't speak, the people knew he had seen a vision. He continued speechless and had to use sign language with the people.
²³  When the time of his duty was completed, he went back home.
²⁴  It wasn't long before his wife, Elizabeth, conceived. She went off by herself very happy that she was going to have a baby. 
²⁵  "The Lord has done this for me," she said. "In these days he has shown his favor."

Elizabeth was so happy that God was giving her a Son. 

Elizabeth knew that God had told Zachariah it would occur, and she believed that God would do it too.  She was Happy and Surprised…but she believed!

Here’s a video of how Elizabeth might have told others what happened:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IC4EZigVXJg

I love it when Elizabeth says, “What’s that my dear?  Angel got your tongue!”

Elizabeth believes that her son is a gift that came from God.

Let's think a bit more about this:  You were born to your parents and you are a gift of God to them too!  Every child that is born into the world is a gift to their parents.  All children come from God.

Not only are you a gift; but your parents are a gift from God to you!  And, I might add, so are your Grandparents (or Nana and Papa if you say that).

How can we remember that we are a gift, or that our parents and grandparents are a gift?  Maybe we can write them a letter, or send a card and say “thank you for being a gift to me from God”.

Here’s a coloring page to remember Elizabeth, Zachariah, and their new born Son, John.

For Parents and Other Not Kids

Some friends of ours have been dealing with some very difficult health issues in the family.  When things like this happen, there's something inside that groans under the weight and there’s often a feeling of being in a fog, lost, unsure of the days ahead.

Advent reminds us that Jesus Christ came into a world that groaned under the weight of unsure things.  

The story of Advent began with the aged Priest Zechariah, and after his encounter with the Angel Gabriel in the Temple, he went home.  

Luke 1:23-25 (NIV)
²³ When his time of service was completed, he (Zechariah) returned home.
²⁴ After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion.
²⁵ "The Lord has done this for me," she said. "In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people."

Later, and we'll get to this shortly in the days ahead, the angel visits Mary, and tells her of what is to happen in bearing Jesus.  But in the announcement to Mary, the angel says these words:

Luke 1:36-37 (NIV)
³⁶ Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month.
³⁷ For nothing is impossible with God."

NOTHING is impossible with God.

Think about Elizabeth.  Elisabeth is somewhat quiet in the background for much of this story in Luke 1.  Zechariah meets Gabriel in the temple. Then coming home, he cannot say what happened.  Elisabeth has what many wives have – a non-communicating husband!

Something has happened, this she knows…did he write it down for her?  We don’t know.  She is wondering what to make of it all – her husband cannot tell her.

While Zechariah does not speak, he does do what needs to be done to get pregnant - he makes love to her. 

It’s not like they’ve never done this before, but they are older, past the age of child-bearing, and yet somehow this time, much different than all other times, something happens.

She becomes pregnant! 

You know what I imagine?  You know what I think happens then to Elizabeth?

Elizabeth smiles, and then she laughs.  Yes, I think Elisabeth laughed. 

Sort of opposite of Zechariah in the temple who was serious and doubting – Elizabeth laughs… “You’ve got to be kidding me…after all these years?”  It's not doubt, it's Joy!

Something happen that was impossible. After so many years…years that began with hope and expectation, but turned to loss of hope, the barrenness, and with it shame – the impossible became real.  

Here's the question:  Why do we focus so much on what has NOT happened, instead of what could still occur in our lives? 

Are we jaded by the unbelief?  Have we succumbed to an opinion that a lot of things are outside of God, and therefore impossible?  

I'm afraid at times I am.  The man cried out to Jesus, "Lord I believe, help my unbelief!"

The Prophet Isaiah some 700 years before had written in Isaiah 43:18-19 (NIV)
¹⁸ "Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.
¹⁹ See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.”

Here is Elizabeth.  Her older frame starts to get round and her belly sticks out.

She who endured the shame of barrenness is now proudly walking in a place of blessing.

She is quietly happy, joy-filled, and wondering…after all these years of trying, crying, and missing…why now?

There are months of quietness for her household.  Zechariah still cannot speak, and she has kept her condition a secret – why? 

Perhaps it appears so unreal at first, perhaps she is concerned whether she’ll carry the baby to term, perhaps it’s just her personality…we don’t know.

It’s in the sixth month that her younger relative Mary shows up.

Elisabeth has not communicated with family, and Mary has not communicated her news either.

Mary’s journey to her is spurred on by her own news and yet both are unprepared for what is to take place.

Without a word spoken, something happens…the baby within Elisabeth “leaps inside of her”.

No words have been spoken, but yet volumes spill out in that second.

Mary whispers the word, “Elisabeth”, and before she can respond, the baby inside of her responds for her.

The baby John, yet unborn, growing “inside” of her is prophesying – even in the womb.

He is already doing what he was sent forth to do!

The older Elisabeth should be the one honored – she is married and has waited for this pregnancy for years.

Mary is the young virgin needing to explain why she is still a virtuous woman.

But it is the younger Mary that receives the blessing of Elisabeth’s Holy Spirit filled phrase:

Luke 1:42
⁴²  In a loud voice she exclaimed: "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear!

Now, nothing is private.

Now, more than one knows the miracles that have occurred.

Now, there is a stirring in the world that will begin with the two mothers and their two babies. 

Think about it…the ripple of that “fruit of your womb” has not stopped since then.

The first Advent only these two women grew with fulfillment and promised hope inside…and they celebrated the announcement in private, sharing their joy with each other, and with the children in their wombs.  

And surrounding both of their pregnancies – at least described among most humans that is - was the word "impossible".

Impossible?  Sorry, you can’t say God and impossible in the same sentence.

Peace