Peace Even When We Fail

 ZECHARIAH: PEACE EVEN WHEN WE FAIL

Read Luke 1.1-23, 1.57–66

Do you find it difficult to always do the right thing? As human beings, we're faced with hundreds of decisions each day. With that kind of pressure, doing the right thing 100% of the time is impossible. Sometimes, our mistakes are small or accidental, but other times, we deliberately choose the wrong, hurtful, unwise, or disobedient thing. We are all prone to disobedience, whether in thought or action. We are all prone to not trust God as we should.

Zechariah, the man we meet today, is no different. But Zechariah's story offers us peace in the face of our failures because even when we do fail to trust God, God remains trustworthy and continually offers us opportunities to trust and obey Him.

Meet Zechariah

Luke introduces us to Zechariah when he is very old and tells us that he and his wife, Elizabeth, have not been able to have children (Luke 1.7). Like Abraham, this is devastating for Zechariah. But nevertheless, Zechariah and Elizabeth remain righteous in God's sight and follow His commands. Zechariah devotes his life to God, serving Him as a priest.

As a priest, all of Zechariah's devotion and service is about to pay off. He is chosen to enter the holy place in the temple and burn incense, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for a priest (Luke 1.9). The incense was an offering given on behalf of all the people, and the priest who delivered it would take it into the deepest centre of the temple, the place where God's presence dwelt, and have a special time of prayer and worship alone with God. But what Zechariah expects to be a time of quiet prayer quickly turns into a dramatic experience of sensory overload as an angel named Gabriel appears before him (Luke 1.11).

Zechariah is terrified, this was not supposed to happen. However, Gabriel speaks, quickly putting Zechariah at ease, and then delivers his message that Zechariah will soon have a son. In response, Zechariah questions and doubts the angel of the Lord. In the same way that Moses offered excuse after excuse, Zechariah, too, questions the angel's message and doubts God's ability to use him and his wife in their old age. The angel's correction is firm but gentle as he tells Zechariah that his message is supposed to be good news. Then, to demonstrate his authority and power, he removes Zechariah's ability to speak (Luke 1.20).

Zechariah's doubt, and his resulting muteness, are not the end of his story. God doesn't see his lack of faith and decide to use someone else. Rather, God uses Zechariah's doubt and weakness to demonstrate His faithfulness and power.

God fulfilled His promise to Zechariah with the birth of his son (Luke 1.57-58). And with this, Zechariah receives another opportunity to trust God's word by naming his child what God had commanded instead of what his family and society expect. Zechariah names him John (Luke 1.63), who later becomes known as John the Baptist. Zechariah's voice returns, and he immediately praises God. In this way, God uses Zechariah to draw people to Himself.

As the narrative continues, Zechariah says of his son, John, 

"And you, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, to give his people knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins"(Luke 1.76-77). 

Through this miraculous birth, God would prepare the way for another miraculous birth that of His Son, Jesus Christ. John would grow up and call the people of Israel to repent of their sins, for a Saviour was on His way who would bring salvation to all who would place their trust in Him.

What Does This Mean for Me?

Whether you've been following Jesus for a long time, are new to the Christian faith, or haven't yet decided to follow Jesus, Zechariah's story has good news for you: God doesn't give up on us. No matter how many times we fail to trust Him, no matter how often we wrestle with doubt, no matter what questions or hesitations we have that prevent us from following Him, He remains faithful. He stands over us, like the angel Gabriel, reassuring us that His message is indeed good news and that He is waiting for us to put our trust in Him.

Like Zechariah, God may create or allow circumstances in your life that reveal your weakness and demonstrate His power, but He does this out of His good character and His love for you. No matter where you are in your relationship with God, no matter how much you've questioned Him, you can have absolute peace knowing that He stands ready for you to trust and obey Him.

Application Questions

God removed Zechariah's ability to question His faithfulness and power by taking away his voice. In what ways has God worked in your life to show His faithfulness and power?

What doubts can you surrender to God's faithfulness today?

Pray and thank God that He offers second chances when we fail to trust Him.