“How will I know that this is so? For I am an old man, and my wife is getting on in years” (Lk. 1.18).

You have to appreciate Zechariah. The older I get the more meaningful his story is for me. Zechariah was a devout man. He was a faithful priest in a time when priests were not always models of piety. The Pharisees and many others were suspicious of their motives. But Zechariah was above reproach. He had served God faithfully and humbly, and was prepared to continue until his death, never missing a beat. But God had a new assignment for this old priest and his wife. The couple had been unable to conceive a child. Elizabeth was barren, you see (like Sarah and Hannah before her). The angel informed Zechariah that at last Elizabeth would bear a son, and he would be mighty in the service of God. How should Zechariah feel? Should he have understood the power of God, especially since God had done such things in the wombs of barren women before? Perhaps. The angel thought so, and for his wavering faith the ability to speak was temporarily taken from him. Faith moves mountains. Faith embraces the power of God, even in the face of old age and barren wombs. But when life goes on in “the ordinary way” for so long it is hard to believe that it could ever be different. Maybe older people are especially subject to this way of thinking. I want to learn from Zechariah. I don’t want to limit God. I am glad that God is merciful toward the limitations of all of us. But I am especially glad to be reminded that we serve a God who does the impossible, even today. — Can you tell? Take another look, and let me know what you see.

Michael Case

Seward Church of Christ

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Christ we love and Christ we serve.