Monday after Gaudete, the Third Sunday in Advent
Posted on December 14, 2020 by under
Scripture: St. Luke 1:1-15 (NKJV)
1:1 Inasmuch as many have taken in hand to set in order a narrative of those things which have been fulfilled among us, 2 just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word delivered them to us, 3 it seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write to you an orderly account, most excellent Theophilus, 4 that you may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed.
5 There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah. His wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 6 And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. 7 But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years.
8 So it was, that while he was serving as priest before God in the order of his division, 9 according to the custom of the priesthood, his lot fell to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. 10 And the whole multitude of the people was praying outside at the hour of incense.
11 Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense. 12 And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.
13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. 14 And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. 15 For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb.
Devotion
Zacharias and Elizabeth “were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.” This doesn’t mean they had no sin. It means they were righteous by faith just as their ancestor Abraham was righteous before God, not on account of his works, but because He believed God’s Word. Because they were righteous by faith they walked in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord. The commandments are the moral commands. The ordinances are the ceremonial Law of Moses. They walked blameless in these, that is, without any cause of public judgment.
Yet in spite of their faithfulness, Elizabeth was barren. God often allows afflictions to befall believers. Plans and desires are frustrated. Things don’t go as we would like. Our bodies decay and become diseased. Our sinful flesh daily tempts and entices us to sin so that our love for others is impure and incomplete. We bear these and other afflictions, praying for patience under our crosses even as we pray the Lord removes them.
To this faithful yet afflicted couple, the Lord promises a son, who will turn their mourning into joy and gladness. The child will “make ready a people prepared for the Lord” (1:17). This child brings us joy and gladness as well. God is faithful to His promises! He does not leave us to our afflictions, especially the affliction of sin, death, and the devil, but delivers us by turning us to the Lord in repentance and faith so that we also are righteous before God. Being justified by faith, we walk blameless in all His commandments because the Holy Spirit dwells in our hearts.
Prayer: Lord, we beseech Thee, give ear to our prayers and lighten the darkness of our hearts by Thy gracious visitation. Amen.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
