NOTE: This episode is a particularly good example of the audio being a lot different than the first draft below. Listen and read and you’ll see what I mean. :)
One of the more romantic things in the Christmas season is the whole “Silent Night, Holy Night” thing. I mean, who doesn't love some Norman Rockwell fantasy where the world outside is a gentle blanket of snow, and the sound inside is crackling fire keeping you all cozy and snuggly? For a moment – one of those moments you just want to go on forever – there is peace. Sadly, sometimes it’s a lot less romantic to think about what real peace is like.
Or is it?
As we get closer to Christmas and contemplate the various characters in the Christmas story, it’s interesting to observe that sometimes the cool stories in the Bible go by in a flash, like yesterday’s passing mention of Joseph taking the high road with regard to Mary’s baffling pregnancy. Some, like today’s about Zechariah, are longer than I can do justice to here. But let’s give it a whirl.
The book of Luke starts off with Luke, this really well-educated doctor, saying that he’s painstakingly writing down actual historical events so that some dude named Theophilus “may know the certainty of the things about which” he has received previous instruction. That should be mind-blowing in and of itself.
He then goes on to share this story about Elizabeth and Zechariah. They’re old, past child-bearing age, and Zechariah gets a visit from one of the big kahuna angels, Gabriel. And as if that’s not enough, ol’ Gabe tells Zeke that Elizabeth’s going to have a son that fulfills a prophecy written about by the prophet Micah 400 years earlier. We know of the book of Micah as the last one in the Old Testament. It’s been 400 years of silence. No prophets, not saviors, no Messiahs, lots of wars and mess, and bam!, now we have angels promising promised babies.
But let’s back up a little.
Luke tells us that Zeke’s been faithful as a priest, and he would have been highly educated in the Hebrew scriptures, and he’d know all these prophecies. But c’mon, it’s been 400 years, so there’s a chance he didn’t roll out of the sack thinking, “Yo! Today’s the day! I just feel an angelic visitation comin’ on, don’t you Liz?”
Now here’s this angel showin’ up, and if that wasn’t enough, he just told you that you and the Mrs. are part of the story. What would you do?
Well, in a manner of speaking, Zeke craps his pants. AND he’s like, “Really?”
Fast forward. Because he doubted just a bit, ol’ Gabe tells Zeke that he’ll not be able to speak until the kid’s born. That happens. The kid’s born. They name the kid John, which is what God said to do but wouldn’t have been customary. And when Zechariah says (writes out on a table) that yeah, that’s the kid’s name, voila! He can speak.
And what does he do? In the power of the Holy Spirit he sings! Well, Luke says, “praises,” but it’s poetic. Maybe it was a rap, even. And listen to how it ends:
Because of our God’s merciful compassion, the dawn from on high will visit us to shine on those who live in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. Luke 1:78-79, CSB
Today, my friend, I want you to take this to the bank. You might think you know how today’s going to end up, and you could be right. But here’s a little Christmas promise for you.
Zechariah’s singing about Christmas, and Jesus, and that this Christmas present of light in the darkness is because of God’s merciful compassion, and what is it all for?
Because you’re going to put one foot in front of the other. It’s just life. Not like the crunch of our boots in the new fallen snow like a Norman Rockwell painting. Real life means you may not know where you’re going – today – but He will guide you “into the way of peace.” Or as Paul puts it, this is a peace that surpasses all understanding…how? Because the King of the Universe, this King of angelic visitations, this King of old ladies having babies, this King says not to worry because He will guard your heart and mind.
I confess, I still do love me some Christmas and Norman Rockwell. But I love Jesus, His upside-down kingdom, and how He connects us to where real peace is found even more.
Roger Courville, CSP is a globally-recognized expert in communications, an award-winning author and speaker, and a passionately bad guitarist. ForTheHope equips on-the-go professionals with biblical principles to engage marketplace relationships with competent humility. On Twitter can follow him @RogerCourville and/or his podcast @JoinForTheHope, or get all updates by email subscription at www.forthehope.org.