Save God's Words in your heart with this Lenten meditation for today as recorded for
us in the book of Luke.
Many people have set out to write accounts
about the events that have been fulfilled among us. They used the eyewitness
reports circulating among us from the early disciples. Having carefully
investigated everything from the beginning, I also have decided to write a
careful account for you, most honorable Theophilus, so you can be certain of
the truth of everything you were taught.
When Herod was king of Judea, there was a Jewish
priest named Zechariah. He was a member of the priestly order of Abijah, and
his wife, Elizabeth, was also from the priestly line of Aaron. Zechariah and
Elizabeth were righteous in God's eyes, careful to obey all of the Lord's
commandments and regulations. They had no children because Elizabeth was unable
to conceive, and they were both very old. One day Zechariah was serving God in
the Temple, for his order was on duty that week. As was the custom of the
priests, he was chosen by lot to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and burn
incense. While the incense was being burned, a great crowd stood outside,
praying. While Zechariah was in the sanctuary, an angel of the Lord appeared to
him, standing to the right of the incense altar. Zechariah was shaken and
overwhelmed with fear when he saw him. But the angel said, "Don't be
afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayer. Your wife, Elizabeth, will give
you a son, and you are to name him John. You will have great joy and gladness,
and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great in the eyes of the
Lord. He must never touch wine or other alcoholic drinks. He will be filled
with the Holy Spirit, even before his birth. And he will turn many Israelites
to the Lord their God. He will be a man with the spirit and power of Elijah. He
will prepare the people for the coming of the Lord. He will turn the hearts of
the fathers to their children, and he will cause those who are rebellious to
accept the wisdom of the godly. Luke 1:1-17
Don't
be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayer. God promised to give
Zechariah and his wife, Elizabeth a son, who would become a great man and …he will cause those who are rebellious to
accept the wisdom of the godly. Have you ever been around a really
rebellious child? They don’t want to accept anything, but here God is promising
that John, Zechariah and Elizabeth’s son, will change those rebellious people’s
attitude and they will accept the wisdom of the godly. That is saying a lot
about John. He was to be a very powerful spiritual influence for God—beginning
with telling others about our coming Messiah. He was a godly, pure man who
realized that he was unworthy to even remove Jesus’ sandals, yet he was chosen
to baptize Jesus. That was the beginning of Jesus’ ministry…the beginning of
His path to the cross for us. Some might argue that Jesus began that pass to
the cross when He left heaven and was born on earth as a baby, wrapped in
swaddling clothes like a sacrificial lamb, and studied with teachers in the
Temple and grew up in Nazareth.
 |
| A Cross of Peace Take this cross upon you. |
When did you begin your walk to the cross?
Do you take up your cross daily?
Then he (Jesus) said to the crowd, "If
any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take
up your cross daily, and follow me. Luke 9:23
What does it mean to you to “take up your
cross daily”? What do you do to daily
follow our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ?
Prayer
~ Lord…I want to live by Your command…But seek first His kingdom and His
righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Matthew 6:33 NASB.
Guide me daily as I seek to walk with You and may all that I think, say and do
please You—with no rebellious attitude in my heart. You are worthy of all
praise, glory and honor.
©
2020 Text and photos by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.
Unless
otherwise indicated, all scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation,
copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of
Tyndale House
Publishers, Inc. Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the New American
Standard Bible® (NASB), Copyright © 1960, 1962,
1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973,
1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. www.Lockman.org
1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. www.Lockman.org
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