E-mail
Print
RSS
G-bookmarks
Live
TechnoratiLuke 1:18-20 NIV
Zechariah asked the angel, "How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years."
The angel answered, "I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their proper time."
Gabriel is an important angel, one whose job it is to bring important messages from God to people here on earth. He stands in the presence of God. He was given the job of interpreting Daniel's dream (Daniel 8:15-17; 9:2). And he was given the job of announcing both the birth of John the Baptist and the birth of Jesus (Luke 1:26-38). But as important as he was, and even though he appeared in the place where no man could go except the one priest designated for that job, even though he was obviously a messenger sent directly from God - Zechariah didn't believe what he said. After all, what Gabriel had said was impossible! Zechariah and Elizabeth were both very old. And Elizabeth was barren. How could this messenger know what he was talking about?
Gabriel was not pleased with Zechariah's disbelief. So he caused Zechariah to "fall silent." What did this mean? It means that the man couldn't talk! He instantly became a mute! Since he couldn't express anything but disbelief with his mouth, that disbelieving mouth would be shut until the proof of what Gabriel was saying came to pass so Zechariah would believe. Even though Zechariah was a man of God. even though he was a priest who spent his every waking hour serving God. even though he should have been the first to believe in God's power. Zechariah could not believe that God could do the impossible.
How about you? Do you truly believe in God's power, or do you just give it lip service? Do you really believe that He can do anything? Or do you only believe as far as your mind will allow you to go? Do you believe that God used to do great and powerful things, but stopped as soon as John wrote the last word of Revelation?
God Almighty has not changed. He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. What the Scripture says He did thousands of years ago, He did. And He is doing the same today. He can and does do the impossible. He does it every day. You just have to look around you to see His hand in everything that happens. Start believing that God will do the impossible in your life, no matter how impossible it seems.
"I the LORD do not change." Malachi 3:6a NIV
"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever." Hebrews 13:8 NIV
Used with Permission
