I am an Oklahoman by birth, a Texan by current living situation, but claim the world as my playground.I love to travel and hope to someday soon take our family on adventures to far off lands, where we can share God with others and experience all the wonders He has created.
I am a mother of 5 crazy, homeschooling children ages 10 & under, wife to an amazing man, and daughter of the King of the Universe!I enjoy reading, making my kids laugh, cooking, all things natural, learning to play guitar and dusting off my piano skills.One day I hope to run again, but until then I’m learning patience.
The importance of a name. The Name we proclaim will determines the direction of our lives. Zechariah was given a chance to show his faith or lack of it, by simply proclaiming a name. We are given this same option.
Jesus say’s in Luke 16:10:
“Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.”
The power of believing God even in the smallest of details means that we are showing others our utter and complete belief. In this case, the “small” detail boiled down to a name. The name of a child who would then proclaim the name of the Lord Almighty! The is the name under which every knee shall bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Now, the most important name you will ever say is Jesus Christ is Lord. You will either proclaim it with joy in His heavenly presence because you proclaimed it here on Earth or you will proclaim it out of fear, knowing that you did not carry his name as the biggest and smallest detail in your life. May we never have to dread this day. May we willing wear his name and share proudly with others that we are followers of Christ and they should be too!
As Zechariah wrote out his son’s on his tablet, in the silent but loudest voice he had, he proclaimed his faith in the Lord, the Name above all names!
Luke 1:57-58
When we read this, Lord, we want to jump up and down for your mercy and what you did for Elizabeth too!
Oh , the mercy you had on Elizabeth! In her old age, after her decades of wanting a child and never being able to conceive, you miraculously opened her womb and gave her a son.
And not just any son, but one that would announce the coming Messiah!
What mercy and love you poured out over her!!
What a blessing to be able to celebrate this gift with her friends and relatives!
Let us be a people that rejoice along with our brothers and sisters who are receiving the gift of your mercy right now too!
Maybe it’s rejoicing in a marriage that is stronger in you now after the devil tried to rip it to shreds.
Maybe it’s rejoicing in someone coming to know your forgiveness and the gift of grace.
Maybe it’s one coming seeking forgiveness and receiving your mercy as she has confessed.
Maybe it’s rejoicing alongside someone whose decades long prayer has been answered.
Let us be a people who are faithful, loving, and rejoice along with those who are rejoicing in all you have done for them!
In the One who is faithful to all he created – Amen!
Luke 1: 59 – 61
Lord, when you call us to stand strong and courageous, we often think of doing this against those who are opposed to you.
We don’t often think about standing strong and courageous when dealing with those who love you too.
But this is exactly what you called Elizabeth to do at the very moment when the miracle baby you had given her was about to be named.
No!
She stood up and with the voice you gave her proclaimed the name that you had determined this precious baby to be called.
No!
They would not name him after his father even though that was the tradition.
No!
It didn’t matter that they did not understand the why behind it.
She was standing tall and courageous up to the family that loved her but didn’t fully understand the prophesy and miracle that you had given to her husband.
Lord, we pray that we will be as bold, firm, and lovely with the ones that love us. May we not be swayed by their well-intentioned actions but hold on to the truth you have called us to live.
In the One who calls us to stand for truth no matter what anyone else thinks – Amen!
Luke 1:62-64
Lord, prepare our hearts to be challenged and questioned by others who don’t understand what you have called us to do.
Help us to stand strong.
We praise you for Elizabeth and Zechariah’s faith in what you told them to call their son.
They could have just flippantly dismissed what you said to do because it didn’t fit their traditions. You don’t call us to be a people of tradition but a people of faith.
Obedience brings about blessings sometimes immediately and sometimes eternally. We praise you for giving him his speech back again so that he could go on to tell his son about your amazing ways.
Let us not hold our tongues when they work so well. Let them sing your praises and glorify you through our faith!
In the One who gives us a reason to sing your praises – Amen!
Luke 1:65 – 66
When we humble ourselves to you and obey what you are calling us to do, Lord, you not only keep us in awe but you also keep those around us in awe too!
How awesome it was for everyone in the hill country of Judea to be wondering what plans God had in store for John!
He would be the one pointing the way to the Messiah!
They had know clue how important his role would be, but they understood that God was doing something big.
Lord, we know you are doing amazing things right now in our lives too. And just like John, you want us to point all those around us to the One, the only One, who can change their lives for the better.
May we not shrink back from the responsibility you have given us or pass it off to someone else. May we pray over those whom you have placed in our lives and share the good news with them too!
In the One who put us in this time and place for a reason – Amen!
I am an Oklahoman by birth, a Texan by current living situation, but claim the world as my playground.I love to travel and hope to someday soon take our family on adventures to far off lands, where we can share God with others and experience all the wonders He has created.
I am a mother of 5 crazy, homeschooling children ages 10 & under, wife to an amazing man, and daughter of the King of the Universe!I enjoy reading, making my kids laugh, cooking, all things natural, learning to play guitar and dusting off my piano skills.One day I hope to run again, but until then I’m learning patience.
In the small details of her daily life as well as the big moments, Mary’s way of glorifying the Lord found favor with the Lord. This favor brought her some startling news. News that filled her heart with joy but brought a reality of being separated and set apart.
To hear the words that you are highly favored and will carry God’s son may have caused initial anxiety in some of our hearts, but Mary humbled herself to the Lord once again saying, “I am the servant girl of the Lord, let this thing happen to me.”
Yet, even though she humbled herself, she still quickly made her way to another who may have been the only one to understand what she was going through at the moment. The only one who could give her the encouragement she needed to hear so she could know that what she had just experienced wasn’t a dream. It was reality. A reality that would cause her to burst into glorifying the Lord even more.
Oh, Lord, may we also humble ourselves to your will and be your servants! May we glorify you in the big and small details of our lives!
Luke 1:38
Lord, you are holy and know what we need!
When you call us, instead of fighting you, may we be humble in heart like Mary and answer similarly:
“I am the Lord’s servant. May your word to me be fulfilled.”
Oh, Lord, to have a willing heart to let you lead our souls and lives! That is what we want!
That is how we want to follow you!
In the One who is the ultimate example of how to walk in your ways – Amen!
Luke 1:39-40
God your grace is so good!
Not only did you choose to use Mary, your humble servant, but you gifted her heavenly and earthly support.
You knew that a pregnant virgin would gather some negative attention and be challenged, so you gifted her with a relative who was experiencing a similar miraculous event!
Lord, we know that when we trust in you that others will mock us too. Others will try to persuade us that following you is only causing us harm, but you are so good to support us spiritually and physically too.
Thank you for those who boldly walk in your ways and encourage others to do the same. Help us to be one of those who will trust in your ways even when it makes our lives more difficult.
You never promised this world would be easy, but you did promise you would walk with us along this journey.
In the One who walked the road to the cross on our behalf – Amen!
Luke 1:41-45
Lord, you know our hearts so well!
Even when we have listened and accepted the calling you have for us, sometimes we need affirmation. It seems like that is what you are doing here.
When Mary greeted Elizabeth, not only did little baby John leap for joy, but through the Holy Spirit, you confirmed a blessing upon Mary!
We can’t help but giggle that the blessing was exclaimed in a loud voice! Surely, Mary couldn’t have been far away. She was standing inside Zechariah and Elizabeth’s home and yet, you spoke loudly to her.
Maybe you needed her to hear you over her own thoughts.
Maybe she had just come from talking to Joseph, who was shocked at the news and didn’t know what to do.
Maybe from the time she left Nazareth to the time she arrived in the hill country of Judea, many thoughts had overtaken her and her heart needed to be reminded that this real and not just a dream!
It could have been any number of reasons, but you made a point to loudly exclaim that she was blessed among women.
Lord, we praise you for the reminders in our lives that we are loved by you and can trust you always.
You are an amazing God with an amazing plan. Your way of doing things is definitely not our way of doing things.
And we praise you for finding ways to strengthen our faith in you and what you are doing in our lives just like you did to Mary through Elizabeth!
In the One who proclaimed, “Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!” – Amen!
Luke 1:46-56
Lord, Mary’s song to you is a beautiful reminder of how you take care of those who love you.
She humbled herself to you not only in life but in song. She rejoiced at how you remembered her humbleness and willingness to serve you.
May we remember how you have been faithful throughout the generations and extend your mercy from generation to generation.
We praise you for the amazing gift of life that she carried for 9 months. She literally carried the word of life in her.
Amazingly you have gifted us the Holy Spirit so we may carry the word of life with us too, in a different way, but still we can rejoice because you have gifted us, your humble servants, with such a wonderful blessing.
May we too honor you and choose to give you glory through our times of blessings and difficulties, instead of taking the credit ourselves.
In the One who sealed all who believe in Him and follow His ways with the gift of the Holy Spirit – Amen!
I am an Oklahoman by birth, a Texan by current living situation, but claim the world as my playground.I love to travel and hope to someday soon take our family on adventures to far off lands, where we can share God with others and experience all the wonders He has created.
I am a mother of 5 crazy, homeschooling children ages 10 & under, wife to an amazing man, and daughter of the King of the Universe!I enjoy reading, making my kids laugh, cooking, all things natural, learning to play guitar and dusting off my piano skills.One day I hope to run again, but until then I’m learning patience.
When the time comes for the Lord to answer your prayers how will you respond?
We often think we will respond with absolute joy, but in Luke 1 we see Zechariah responded with unbelief and fear. Prayers had been going up for years and prayers of thanksgiving were going up at that moment. When the time comes to pray, let us pray believing that God will answer our prayers in accordance to His will and aski the Lord to prepare us to accept His answer.
This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him. 1 John 5:14-15
The amazing part of how the Lord answered the prayers of Zecharaih and Elizabeth is that he not only blessed them with a child but it was the child coming in the calling of Elijah! All children are special and have an amazing purpose from God, but this child was the one who would announce the arrival of the Messiah.
It was truly a blessing on top of a blessing! Yes, the prayer was answered in God’s timing instead of theirs, but look at how miraculous the occasion and blessings were. Are we willing to wait on God and his blessings?
Can we pray fully believing and patiently looking forward to the Lord’s answer when the time comes?
It might have seemed by chance that Zachariah entered the temple that day, but you had it all planned out. He loved you and served you. He continued to be righteous even though one of the prayers he had prayed for years and years had seemingly gone “unanswered.”
You chose from the beginning a specific moment to answer Zechariah’s prayer!
You are not fickle or uncaring. Very much the opposite! You seem to love to surprise us with your love!
When we start to doubt that our prayers are going unheard, help us to hold on to this passage and remember that your timing is perfect!
In the One who chooses the perfect time in our lives for everything – Amen!
Luke 1:10
Lord,you willingly sacrificed yourself for us and you ask us to do the same. There is nothing too difficult for you to do, but you ask us to trust you while you are doing it.
Sometimes this takes sacrificing our logical side. Suspending our physical reality to allow your spiritual power to work. Through prayer we praise you as the Lord of all, begging you to move mountains, and work in visible ways in our lives.
Let us not stand with doubting hearts as we pray, but with completely trusting hearts. May our prayers be more than just routine.
May our prayers be set before you like incense; may the lifting up of our hands be like the evening sacrifice. (Psalm 141:2).
In the one who calls us to be the aroma of Christ on earth and to sacrifice ourselves daily – Amen!
Luke 1:11-12
Lord, you are to be revered, feared, and honored!
Zechariah was there in the temple in your presence and yet the sight of the angel of the Lord took him by surprise and gripped him with fear.
To feel alone one minute and then be taken by surprise realizing that we are not alone, is a powerful gesture towards us as well. You sent Jesus to let us know that we are not alone and that we do not haveto walk this world in our own power but in yours!
Oh, Lord, let us realize that your ever present power is with us. That we are never alone in this life, even when we can’t physically see you.
In the One whose presence cast’s out all fear and yet leaves us trembling in His glory – Amen!
Luke 1:13-17
Lord, long before people started laying palm branches along the road and yelling “Hosanna,” you were preparing a way for us to recognize who the Messiah is.
You sent prophets and gave them specific details. You told Zechariah not to be afraid because he was going to have a son, who would prepare peoples’ hearts for the Lord.
Praise you Lord, for preparing us and our hearts to receive your son, our Savior.
May we help prepare the hearts of others by sharing your amazing good news with them.
In the One to whom we cry “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” – Amen!
Luke 1:19-20
Lord, you are so merciful and gracious! You are the best gift giver and want to share the joy of what’s coming.
When you did share the good news with Zechariah about the gift that would be coming, he had a difficult time believing you.
The angel was shocked that Zechariah did not believe someone who was sent from the presence of God to tell him about this amazing blessing.
Oh, Lord, help us to believe you not just as we read about your mighty ways in the Bible but that you still work in mighty ways in our lives daily!
Help us with wisdom and discernment accept the news of what is coming!
In the One who is our good news and is coming back – Amen!
Luke 1:21-22
Your blessings mean so much to us, Lord!
We wait on you and your blessings in our lives, like the Israelites waited on Zechariah to give them the customary blessing after he came out of the temple.
They had no idea that he was actually receiving such a tremendous blessing from you!
Sometimes, Lord, we become so focused and impatient on waiting on being blessed that we forget others need and are patiently waiting on your blessings too.
Let us graciously share what we have received from you with others with a cheerful heart. Help us to realize that as we share the blessings you’ve given us with others, their prayers for blessings are being answered as well.
Oh, Lord, you do work in mighty and wondrous ways still today!
May we glorify you as we rejoice in how you have blessed us through our Savior, Jesus Christ!
In Jesus’ powerful name – Amen!
Luke 1:23-25
Lord, we praise you for who you are! You have done amazing things in all our lives and have gifted us with our mothers.
Lord, this day that we celebrate motherhood is a joyous day but it is also difficult one for so many.
You are aware of those whose hearts and arms ache. We praise you because you know their hearts and comfort them.
Elizabeth is one whose heart ached. She was barren and was very old. Her hope of having a child seemed lost but then her faith remembered Abraham and Sarah having a child at 90 & 100. Her prayers continued.
Her faith led her to glorify you even when you had not blessed her with what she hoped. Then in your own timing and for your own purpose, you answered her prayer.
Lord, we pray for patience as we lean into you with heavy hearts praying with all our might. We pray we will lean into your will and timing in our lives and not our own. As our hearts ache, we thank you for comforting us and preparing us for the days ahead.
Thank you for never tiring of hearing the same prayers.
In the One who is the beginning and the end and yet, chose to be born as a baby into this world – Amen!
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