June 6 Daily Devotional

Bible Reading

Devotional

In the weeks leading up to December 25 you can be sure someone will ask you “Are you ready for Christmas?” Rushing around from store to store to get the right gifts seems to be a necessary part of the festivity. To what extent do we allow ourselves to get pushed along by the thinking of society? We are to celebrate the birth of Christ as a people preparing for His second coming.

The first chapter of Luke shows us how the Lord makes His preparations for Christmas. He sends His angel Gabriel to Zechariah who is taking his turn to serve as priest in the temple. Gabriel tells Zechariah that he and his wife Elizabeth will have a son in their old age. Zechariah finds that message somewhat hard to believe. They are much too old to receive a son. We all know how Zechariah is punished for his unbelief: he is unable to speak until the child is born. Yet, once his mouth is opened he bursts forth into a song of praise for the Lord's work of redemption. Zechariah praises God for the full deliverance which is coming in Jesus Christ. This deliverance includes liberation from all slavery (1:74) and reformation to new service (1:75).

There is a tone of relief in the song of Zechariah. The Lord has not forgotten the oath which He swore to Abraham. The Messiah is coming to deliver the Lord’s people from their enemies that they might serve Him without fear. The song of Zechariah speaks of the birth of Christ as deliverance from the hand of enemies. The Greek word for “deliver” means to pull out, to apply great pressure. Jesus Christ came to destroy the force of the enemy, to knock him down with His horn of salvation. Jesus Christ is born in Bethlehem so that we might serve Him in a new and wonderful way. His liberation will cause us to be fully dedicated to Him. The Lord Jesus Christ, born of the virgin Mary, enables us to serve in holiness and righteousness. Holiness means we are willing to serve; righteousness means we are able to serve.

As church we are on our way to the final advent, the second coming of Christ. Let the songs of deliverance, as sung after the exodus from Egypt, mingle with the song of Zechariah as we prepare ourselves for the full liberation from all of our enemies.