Waiting: Day 4

Wednesday December 3, 2025

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.

Luke 1:13, English Standard Version

Do you remember when we first met Zechariah and Elizabeth? Luke described them as “advanced in years.” He also said that they had no children.

So, they’re way too old to be assembling a crib, decorating a nursery, attending baby showers. And yet, here’s an angel popping into the temple to drop a baby bomb on old Zechariah. “Get ready, fellow!” he’s saying. “You and the Mrs. will soon be changing diapers and staying up half the night.”

This is miracle stuff we’re dealing with. People advanced in years don’t have babies, unless God is involved. Which He is.

The angel says something important that we dare not skip over-Your prayer has been heard. Elizabeth and Zechariah had remained faithful in prayer, even in the face of disappointment, even when it would have been easy to give up, even when they had every reason to wonder if anyone was even listening to them. Your prayer has been heard.

Is there anything that you really need to pray about this Advent season? Anyone you really need to pray for? Or, is there anything you need to keep on praying about?

Truth be told, that’s probably one of the hardest things we’ll ever do as believers in Jesus. We want answers, and we want them now. We ask a time or two, and we expect that God needs to get moving. And not only does He need to get moving, now, but He needs to get moving in the way we want Him to.

Heaven, though, moves to the rhythm of a different clock. And God moves in ways unknown to us. The old prayer book says it this way, “We know, O God, that you are already doing more and better than we could ever ask or imagine.” Sometimes, old folks welcome new babies. Other times, God responds in His own way.

No matter what, we pray. And we trust.