Let There Be Joy - Day 13
God Is Always On Time
Elizabeth was too old to have a baby by human standards. Her body had long ceased to exhibit the possibility of reproduction. Even when Elizabeth was young and in her childbearing years, she had been unable to conceive a child. Now, as a woman who had lived nearly 9 decades of life, there was no human possibility that this would ever happen. There was not a sliver of hope that Elizabeth would ever hold a biological newborn baby in her wrinkled arms!
But God breaks all of the constraints of human standards. His ways are higher than our ways and He is able to trump any limitation that we exhibit even in our strength.
“Now the time had come for Elizabeth to give birth ...” Certainly this “time” was not Elizabeth’s chosen time. God has a chosen time for prayers to be answered, for His mission to be accomplished and for miracles to take place. Elizabeth’s chosen “time” had most certainly been when she was a young woman but God’s chosen time involved a miracle! Do not for one second believe that God has forgotten you or that He has not heard your prayers. When God’s appointed time comes in its fullness, you will give birth to all that God has planned for you.
“Her neighbors and her relatives heard that the Lord had displayed His great mercy toward her; and they were rejoicing with her.”
Many times I believe that the Lord says “Wait” as an answer to our desperate prayers so that His glory is revealed rather than the certainty of mankind’s function. Most women are able to conceive and bear children in their teens and twenties and even into their thirties and early forties, but it takes the intervention of God for a woman to experience the miracle of birth when in her eighth decade of life!
Can you imagine the rejoicing of her relatives and neighbors? Can you picture the scene as the women danced in circles in the village streets? Can you envision how her friends lifted their hands in praise to Yahweh?
As John nestled into his mother’s arms, and as the nearly 100 year old eyes of Zacharias looked into the newborn eyes of his son, God was glorified. Prayers had been answered. Their story had just begun.
The story of Elizabeth and Zacharias is the call to live a righteous life and it is the promise of what persevering prayer will certainly obtain. God is more than able to accomplish all that concerns you. His part is to perform the miracles ... your part is to pray without ceasing and to live a life that pleases His heart.
Bible Reading: (click on Bible verse to open in reader)
Let There Be Joy In Me:
What has been the greatest miracle or answer to pray that you have ever experienced? Write it out and share it with your family this Christmas season.
Define the word “miracle”.
H
ello, World!
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