Our Visions and Questions
Our Visions and Questions
As U.D and I experienced our 15 years of barrenness without a child, I often worried that I may become mute or dumb before seeing God’s miracle of now Jonathan. Why would I think that way you may ask? When you read the first chapter of Luke, and compare and contrast the two different questions of Zacharias and Mary, you are careful of the questions you ask God when He gives you a vision. Zacharias and Elizabeth had been without a child for a long time though we do not know how long. Like all of us, they had the need, desire and aspiration to have a child. They had prayed and fasted and perhaps almost given up (as we can deduce from Zac’s response in the story) and then an angel shows up with good news.
Luke 1: 11-20
11Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. 12When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. 13But the angel said to him: "Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John. 14He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, 15for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth.[b] 16Many of the people of Israel will he bring back to the Lord their God. 17And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."
18Zechariah asked the angel, "How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years."
19The angel answered, "I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. 20And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their proper time."
Let’s make the following observations from this angelic encounter or vision.
1. Zac was afraid and I will be too. We all have fear of the unfamiliar. Whether it is an angelic vision or vision of an idea from God, we are afraid of the unknown and how it will allwork out. It is okay as long we pay attention to God’s Word that follows.
2. “Do not be afraid” or Fear not. The Bible is filled with many of this admonition – Fear not. What are your fears today? The Lord is saying fear not, “your prayers have been heard” by God the Father who cares.
3. Your vision or the need God has allowed in your life now is bigger than you. It is all about God’s will being done. The child to be born, John (meaning “The Lord is gracious”) was named by God himself. God has taken over because in the Jewish tradition, the father names the child. It is all about God’s sovereignty. It is not about you and me. Can you give the care and pressing need to God? Let’s relinquish all rights to solving our problem to only God and only through God’s means. Have you checked out your smart ideas with God’s word? I bet you it must have crossed Zac’s mind of taking another wife which was allowed then. Ask for God’s grace in your situation.
4. The answer to our needs and the fulfillment of our visions are to draw people to God. God would use John to “bring back Israel to their God” and bring reconciliations in families and wisdom in the society. Are you thinking that big about your vision or are you seeing its fulfillment to gratify just you? Think big and outside the box.
5. “How can I be sure of this?” This is a question of unbelief as the angel confirmed. I have been there and asked the same questions so let’s not beat up on Zac. Like Abraham (Gen. 15:8), Gideon (Jdg 6:17) and Hezekiah (2Ki 20:8), Zac asked for a sign. You and I can ask questions but we are better of believing God (otherwise we could be made dumb in the process). May we pray, “Lord, I believe, but help my unbelief”. During our period of barrenness, there were times I did not even know what I believed. That is what a long wait can do to you, so watch out. “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life”. (Prov. 13:12). Recognize the voice of God in your life by bathing in His Word. Many other voices are speaking.
6. Even our momentary unbelief can not stop God’s will and does not intimidate Him from doing what He had purposed. John was destined to come and only at God’s own timing. Hello, chill and relax. God’s will must be done in your life and you can not speed it up. John was to prepare the way for Jesus and he could not have come 30 years earlier. I do not know when and how God will answer you but one thing for sure is that He has you covered. God is in control and sovereign. Can we trust in Him?
What vision has God given you? Wait and trust Him to bring it to pass at His own time.
As U.D and I experienced our 15 years of barrenness without a child, I often worried that I may become mute or dumb before seeing God’s miracle of now Jonathan. Why would I think that way you may ask? When you read the first chapter of Luke, and compare and contrast the two different questions of Zacharias and Mary, you are careful of the questions you ask God when He gives you a vision. Zacharias and Elizabeth had been without a child for a long time though we do not know how long. Like all of us, they had the need, desire and aspiration to have a child. They had prayed and fasted and perhaps almost given up (as we can deduce from Zac’s response in the story) and then an angel shows up with good news.
Luke 1: 11-20
11Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. 12When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. 13But the angel said to him: "Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John. 14He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, 15for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth.[b] 16Many of the people of Israel will he bring back to the Lord their God. 17And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."
18Zechariah asked the angel, "How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years."
19The angel answered, "I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. 20And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their proper time."
Let’s make the following observations from this angelic encounter or vision.
1. Zac was afraid and I will be too. We all have fear of the unfamiliar. Whether it is an angelic vision or vision of an idea from God, we are afraid of the unknown and how it will allwork out. It is okay as long we pay attention to God’s Word that follows.
2. “Do not be afraid” or Fear not. The Bible is filled with many of this admonition – Fear not. What are your fears today? The Lord is saying fear not, “your prayers have been heard” by God the Father who cares.
3. Your vision or the need God has allowed in your life now is bigger than you. It is all about God’s will being done. The child to be born, John (meaning “The Lord is gracious”) was named by God himself. God has taken over because in the Jewish tradition, the father names the child. It is all about God’s sovereignty. It is not about you and me. Can you give the care and pressing need to God? Let’s relinquish all rights to solving our problem to only God and only through God’s means. Have you checked out your smart ideas with God’s word? I bet you it must have crossed Zac’s mind of taking another wife which was allowed then. Ask for God’s grace in your situation.
4. The answer to our needs and the fulfillment of our visions are to draw people to God. God would use John to “bring back Israel to their God” and bring reconciliations in families and wisdom in the society. Are you thinking that big about your vision or are you seeing its fulfillment to gratify just you? Think big and outside the box.
5. “How can I be sure of this?” This is a question of unbelief as the angel confirmed. I have been there and asked the same questions so let’s not beat up on Zac. Like Abraham (Gen. 15:8), Gideon (Jdg 6:17) and Hezekiah (2Ki 20:8), Zac asked for a sign. You and I can ask questions but we are better of believing God (otherwise we could be made dumb in the process). May we pray, “Lord, I believe, but help my unbelief”. During our period of barrenness, there were times I did not even know what I believed. That is what a long wait can do to you, so watch out. “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life”. (Prov. 13:12). Recognize the voice of God in your life by bathing in His Word. Many other voices are speaking.
6. Even our momentary unbelief can not stop God’s will and does not intimidate Him from doing what He had purposed. John was destined to come and only at God’s own timing. Hello, chill and relax. God’s will must be done in your life and you can not speed it up. John was to prepare the way for Jesus and he could not have come 30 years earlier. I do not know when and how God will answer you but one thing for sure is that He has you covered. God is in control and sovereign. Can we trust in Him?
What vision has God given you? Wait and trust Him to bring it to pass at His own time.
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