As we continue on in our study of Luke chapter 1 looking at verses 65-80,
one can’t help but notice the praise that Zacharias lips were liberated
and prepared to give to God - and give it he did! You know what is special
about this though? This old priest was a servant of the Lord that fell
away - but not completely! Zacharias got right back up again once he saw
where he fell backwards in his faith and took the necessary steps responsible
for getting closer to the Lord. The light of the knowledge of the glory
of God is a reviving light, amen? It keeps us from being utterly cast
down when we slip...
Psalms 37:23 & 24 (KJV)
The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in
his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord
upholdeth him with his hand.
Ladies, just as Zacharias was not utterly cast down when his faith failed,
there is no need for us to be either! No matter how young or old you might
be in the Lord, if you’ve fallen away, you can get back on track just
like Zacharias and do right again. Our God is faithful to show us where
we are lacking in our faith so that we might make the necessary adjustments
in our hearts. He will not leave us or forsake us but will uphold us with
His mighty hand. What a loving, caring God we serve! Certainly it must
have been a powerful testimony to those who knew Zacharias, witnessing
this saint get up and praise God again!
Never fail to appreciate how the rescue of one person becomes the avenue
of good to many others. Yes, the hand of God upon the lives of this little
family attracted great awe and amazement in their region. You know what
sayings were noised abroad? Folks discussed the power of God in their
home and how the Lord was continually using this couple and molding them,
in spite of their sin nature, and in spite of their age! Isn't it a blessing
to know that in the face of our weaknesses and failures God can and will
still use us, no matter how old? Once we yield our will to His, that is
the key that sets our faith in motion again. People saw that the hand
of the Lord was upon this home and all those within it - from the youngest
to the oldest. The child that God had sent them would be closely observed.
"What manner of child shall this be!" was a widespread comment as folks
all over began to take note of young John. Nearly everyone predicted that
some great things would come of this particular household.
Ladies, those who desire to live wholeheartedly for the Lord and take
a strong stand on the Word of God are going to be closely watched - right
down to the youngest child! Is your family testimony one that is attracting
awe and amazement within your sphere of influence?
Verse 67:
And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied...
Though an old priest, Zacharias was speaking as a father responsible for
the faith of his child now. It was no longer just HIS faith, and the faith
of his wife - but the faith of his child that now mattered!! In their
old age, God had miraculously blessed them with a son; a son who would
either see or not see faith in God evidenced in his parents lives. What
affect would Zacharias faith have on his son John? What affect does YOUR
faith as a parent have on YOUR children?? Do you take that role seriously,
ladies? Apart from the influence of the Holy Spirit controlling our lives
and lips, there is no way you and I can properly represent the Lord to
our children. It appears to me that Zacharias had soberly considered this
matter in his own life. Below is a long list of things that Zacharias
prophesied about the Lord that we know he will pass on to his son John...
Luke 1:68-75 (KJV)
Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his
people, And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of
his servant David; As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which
have been since the world began: That we should be saved from our enemies,
and from the hand of all that hate us; To perform the mercy promised to
our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant; The oath which he sware
to our father Abraham, That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered
out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear, In holiness
and righteousness before him, all the days of our life.
What do you think are the most important things parents ought to tell
their children while they are growing up? How about a few of those things
mentioned in the above portion of scripture for starters? Have you realized
some of these qualities about the Lord yourself, dear lady? Have you made
them a part of your faith and in turn passed them along to your children,
or others in the Lord? It is imperative that we communicate our faith
in God to our children, to those for whom we are responsible. You see,
whether we consider it or not, we ARE communicating something… What is
that something in your life?? We are so quick to have them read books
or watch videos to increase their knowledge and faith in God, but have
your children heard from YOUR lips the things that God has done for YOU?
How about giving them some real live Christianity for a change and not
just the storybook kind?? God is no less powerful today than He was in
the lives of saints gone by; certainly He is still able to work through
you and I! Have your children observed God answering your prayers? Have
they heard your prayers at all?! If you'd pray with them more often, they
could join you in waiting and watching for an answer… How exciting it
would be for them to be able to say, "Mom, God answered your prayer!!"
What better memories could there be for a child than those filled with
faith in God?
Ladies, there is much we can learn from Zacharias about passing faith
on to our children. Even when we fail, all is not lost, for we can show
them how to get back up again and keep going for the Lord! Let your children
see that God upholds you and keeps you because of HIS faithfulness even
when you aren't so faithful, so they will understand how great a God He
really is! Show them how to get back on track when you get off, how to
listen to the Lord as He speaks to you and shows you where you need to
grow. How important is it to you that your children hear from YOU about
the Lord and not just the preacher or the Sunday school teacher?? Do they
really know God is your God too??
Luke 1:76-80 (KJV)
And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou
shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways; To give knowledge
of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins, Through the
tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited
us, To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the way of peace. And the child grew, and waxed
strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his shewing unto
Israel.
The Lord has ways of dealing with children of all ages, and we ought to
observe the dealings of God in their little lives and assist Him in the
best possible way of increasing their faith in Him. No matter what family
he is born into, God has a plan for every child. However, the Lord expects
a return on His investment to those born into a Christian home... In the
above verses, Zacharias realizes what John’s role will be and accepts
his fatherly responsibility in training his son according to God's Word.
The Bible says that parents are to train their children up in the way
they SHOULD go - God's way! How can we expect our children to be sensitive
to God's calling, to one day properly represent the Lord, to give the
knowledge of salvation to others and wax strong in spirit without consistent,
godly parental guidance? No doubt Zacharias reminded young John all his
life what God wanted to do with him.
2 Tim. 3:15 (KJV)
And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able
to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
What a blessing for a child to hear from his parents what the Lord expects.
Have you obeyed God, dear lady? Have you pointed out this important truth
to your children? Do they realize that God has a plan for their life and
are you helping them to understand what it is? Are you pointing them in
the right direction? Are you seeing to it that they are fully equipped
to properly represent the Lord? Have you encouraged them to actively serve
God or have you selfishly wanted them to remain near you? Have you given
them a sober minded perspective on the responsibility they have to share
the Lord with others? In verse 76 Zacharias calls his son John "the prophet
of the Highest". Ladies, our children can and should be the same kind
of prophets, but it takes years of preparation. Therefore we must daily
and diligently teach, train and encourage them all their days, not forgetting
our own examples before them as well! How much time have you wasted already?
It's never too late to start doing right!
Matthew 19:14 (KJV)
But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto
me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.
We're faithful to push our children to gain worldly knowledge and skills,
but what about the knowledge of the Lord, what about their spiritual progress?
Do we place enough emphasis on godliness in their lives, or even our own?!
Have we been faithful in passing the knowledge of the Lord down to them,
firmly attaching faith to it? Zacharias was joyful that his son was called
to prepare the way of the Messiah. Would you be pleased or grieved if
your child had this calling upon his life? Would your faith as a parent
allow your child to go forth and serve the Lord? Or would your lack of
faith want to hold them back and keep them close where you could watch
over them? Some of you reading this may or may not yet have children...
Some of you may still have children that are too young yet to leave the
nest. Some of you have children that are coming to the age where they
must consider what they will do with the rest of their lives. Some of
you have children that are grown and gone already... Whatever the case
may be, has your faith in God resulted in you encouraging children to
go to the uttermost parts of the world? Your faith, mother, will be passed
on down to your children one way or another. Be a faithFULL parent!
And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit....
Is this the kind of growth going on at your house? Faith guarantees it!
God Bless,
Pam
Isaiah 60:1&2
Copyright 2000 Pamela A. Iannello
Revised 2003
