Scripture: Luke 1:11-15
An angel from the Lord appeared to Zechariah, standing to the right of the altar of incense. When Zechariah saw the angel, he was startled and overcome with fear. The angel said, “Don’t be afraid, Zechariah. Your prayers have been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will give birth to your son and you must name him John. He will be a joy and delight to you, and many people will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great in the Lord’s eyes. He must not drink wine and liquor. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before his birth.
Thought for the Day: As you have heard me say many times, one of the most common phrases in scripture is: “Don’t be afraid…” Of course, it is usually stated AFTER someone is already afraid. Fear, discomfort, anxiousness, apprehension and distress would all be understandable responses when an angel appears in your place of work. Even as a minister, where divine happenings are important, a bit of fear would be an acceptable response if an angel arrived in the Activity Room one Monday afternoon. In this case, the angel brings an amazing message that should delight Zechariah. Yet the fear caused by an angelic sighting is related to the fact that angels often brought good news that was also troubling or challenging news. These heavenly messengers often brought a word that invited a response that was risky or demanded a dramatic change. “Don’t be afraid” might just be followed with news that will require a complete reordering of my life, and to be honest, that is a bit scary. I’m pretty sure Zechariah was thinking that very thing.
Prayer: Keep me calm so that I might hear your challenging and life-giving message, O Lord who sends us messengers. Amen.
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