Your Prayer Has Been Heard

Luke 1:11-15
And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great before the Lord…
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Your Prayer Has Been Heard
Zechariah and Elizabeth were no spring chickens. They had lived long lives and God had blessed them in many ways. Zechariah was a leader in the community and well respected. Yet, there was something missing. He and Elizabeth were unable to have children. In first century Palestine, this was often seen as a punishment for some previous sin. But they never blamed God or turned from Him. They endured the societal shame, the whispers and side glances in the marketplace. And through it all, they continued to pray. Their early prayers likely asked for a child. Then later, asking to bear the grief of barrenness. But they never stopped praying. And in His mercy, we are told, God heard their prayers and gave them a child.
In answering their prayers, God not only gave them a child, but a child with a unique calling. For the child born to Zechariah and Elizabeth would be the cousin of our Lord Jesus Christ. He would be the one spoken of in Isaiah 40. The one to point us to our Messiah. God hears our prayers and in His own time and way, answers. So pray without ceasing, knowing your prayers are heard by God.