Luke 1: 5-7,  There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judah, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah.  His wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.  They were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blamelessly, but they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years.  

And so it began… Luke was opening with the story of John the Baptist’s parents and the announcement of his coming because that was part of the prophecy that would be evidence of the coming Messiah. He was coming to prepare the way of the Lord as it says in Isaiah 40:3, “The voice of one crying n the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the Lord; Make straight in the desert A highway for our God.”  There’s never a detail that God misses and never a promise that He doesn’t fulfill!

I love how over and over in the Bible we see situations where people have prayed in seemingly impossible situations just like this one with Zachariah and Elizabeth.  They were old and they hadn’t had any children.  The burden in that day and the shame for someone who was childless is something we don’t fully understand because bearing children to them was evidence that you were a godly person and yet we see here that they were.  I am sure they had days that were overwhelming because they just couldn’t fully understand “why” but they remained faithful and God answered their prayers.  They had to be somewhat shocked because they had prayed for years.  Have you ever prayed for something for so long that you start to feel as though you are just going through the motions, saying the words because you are so used to praying them and you cling to your hope that one day…. God’s timing is rarely the same as ours and there was a perfect timing for this baby God was giving them. There is a perfect time for everything God has planned for your life as well so don’t lose heart if you have been praying for something that you have been burdened about or needing for a long time.  Trust Him and all that He has promised you.  Seek His face and stay close by His side.  

There are times when what you are burdened about seems like such a stretch you can find yourself wondering if you are crazy, but I would like to challenge you to decide that the bigger the “stretch” the bigger the miracle.  Choose to believe that God not only can but if He has given you a promise then He will!  Dig into His word and cling to Him.  Believe what He has said and shut out the lies from hell that are trying to get you to doubt!  Remember as it says in Hebrews 11:6, “But without faith it is possible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”  Trust Him!  Seek Him with your whole heart and believe all He has promised you!  Don’t live as someone who has no hope because your hope is found in Him!!