Luke 1: 67-79
Zechariah’s Prophecy
67 Then his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke this prophecy:
68 “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,
for he has looked favorably on his people and redeemed them.
69 He has raised up a mighty savior for us
in the house of his servant David,
70 as he spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets from of old,
71 that we would be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us.
72 Thus he has shown the mercy promised to our ancestors,
and has remembered his holy covenant,
73 the oath that he swore to our ancestor Abraham,
to grant us 74 that we, being rescued from the hands of our enemies,
might serve him without fear, 75 in holiness and righteousness
before him all our days.
76 And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High;
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,
77 to give knowledge of salvation to his people
by the forgiveness of their sins.
78 By the tender mercy of our God,
the dawn from on high will break upon us,
79 to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the way of peace.”
Zechariah's Song of Praise flushes out the plan that had been slowly unfolding since the Fall. God had no intentions of allowing his beloved children made in his image and likeness to be separated from him permanently, but in his unlimited kindness and compassion devised, if you will, Plan B. It took awhile but John would be the one to announce the arrival of the ONE who would fulfill this plan. Each generation needs to hear about the plan and accept it. Currently, there's a great ignorance of it, and a great drift away from it, as we read about the growing number of "Nones" in this country alone. They just don't know the depth, the beauty, the joy that it gives. Santa and gift-giving have replaced Jesus and his Gift of the true way to be fully human and live the Plan God has so painstakingly laid out for us. May we rededicate ourselves not to only living the plan so that others can see it, but to reach out to them and gift them with it.What a Christmas this could then be for them and for us!
Bro. Rene
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