Certainly those words are awe-inspiring!
I read this devotional from John Elliott and decided to post it here for all of you. It only takes a minute or two to read, so I encourage you to take the time to do so, and then consider its points. If not profound, it certainly is a good reminder to us that we serve the all-powerful God of the universe!!
Amazing Unbelief
“. . . then
Zechariah asked the angel, ‘How can I be sure of this? I am an old man
and my wife is well along in years.’” (Luke 1:18).
“Then the Lord said to Abraham, ‘Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Will I really have a child, now that I am old?’ Is anything too hard for the Lord?” (Genesis 18:13)
I find Zechariah’s
response to be one of the most amazing admissions of unbelief
imaginable. The angel Gabriel is standing right there in front of him –
in blazing heavenly splendor direct from the Presence of the Lord
Himself. Furthermore, the angel tells him that the baby that will be
born to him and Elizabeth is an answer to a prayer they have prayed.
They had actually prayed for a baby! And he still was unbelieving!
Every
Jew knew the story of Abraham intimately. Zechariah could have told the
events of Abraham’s life in great detail without hesitation. Perhaps
Zechariah even became more animated when it came to the part where Sarah
conceived even though she had passed through menopause and that Abraham
was a sterile old man. Essentially, God was saying to Zechariah, “I am
going to repeat in you and Elizabeth what I did in Abraham and Sarah –
an old man and a menopausal woman are going to give birth.”
How
is it that we believe that wonders happen to others but not to us?
Herein lies a common mistake that we must avoid at all costs: we must
avoid the temptation to put a person like Abraham on a pedestal and
assume that his case is unique – that somehow he was “special” and in a
separate category, different from the rest of us. No. No. No. The
reason God gave us the story of Abraham was to show all of us for all
time that HE can do amazing things regardless of our circumstances. Indeed,
the reason all of the stories are told of men and women of faith, in
both Old and New Testaments, is to show us that we CAN imitate
them. There is nothing wrong in saying to God, “Lord if You could do it
for Abraham, Elijah, Gideon, Deborah and David, you can do it for me.”
This is simple faith. This is an appeal to the God who acted in the past
with wonders and miracles – the same Jesus Christ Who is today what He
has always been.
One of my spiritual heroes is George Mueller who lived in the 19th
century whose life of faith blessed thousands both then and now. I find
my faith inspired when I read of the ways God provided for Mr. Mueller
in order that the work of the Lord might go forward. I have often
prayed, “Lord, provide for me and my work in the same way you did for
George Mueller.” I heartily recommend prayers like these. Keep this
question alive: “Is anything too hard for the Lord?”
2014 Galestorm Music Inc
www.JohnGElliott.com
