Waiting: Day 5

Thursday December 4, 2025

And Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this?

For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.”

Luke 1:18, English Standard Version

You gotta love Zechariah. He’s old, and his wife is no spring chicken. But that didn’t stop him from praying for a kid, even though he had to know the odds were stacked against them. It might have been 2000 years ago, but the guy did understand that the biological clock had stopped ticking a while back.

He receives word that God has decided to answer his prayers in the affirmative. They’re having a baby-a boy-and this kid is going to be SPECIAL. Take a look at how verses 14- 17 describe him. He’ll bring his parents “joy and gladness,” and a whole lot of other people will be thrilled at his birth (v. 14). He’ll be “great before the Lord”-a pretty incredible prediction for a kid-but he’ll need to abstain from booze. That won’t really matter, though, because he’ll be filled with the Holy Spirit, even before he's born (v. 15). He’s going to get people right with God and with each other, and God is going to empower him in the fashion of the great prophet Elijah. Oh, and in addition to all that, he’ll make disobedient people turn from their wickedness and he’ll “make ready for the Lord a people prepared” (vs. 16,17).

So, what does Zechariah do? Exactly what I think I would have done. Probably what you’d have done, too. He tries to figure it out, to make sense of it. He thinks about how old he is. And he pictures his lovely bride with her silver hair and, well, he just doubts how all this can be. So, he questions the angel, and he reminds Mr. Gabriel about the biological clock and all that stuff.

I can almost picture Gabriel putting his hands on his hips, taking a step toward Zechariah, sighing deep and shaking his head, muttering under his breath, “Then, why in the dickens did you pray for a kid? Doofus!”

Instead, the angel gives the facts. “Look, I’m Gabriel, and I hang out in heaven really close to the Ultimate Power, God Himself. And He sent me here to tell you this good news. But, I’m kind of tired of hearing from you, so you’re not going to be able to speak until the kid is born. Got it?”

Zechariah is just so human. He’s righteous; he believes; he trusts God; he prays. And he also has his doubts, particularly when he considers all the facts and the odds. So, he questions.

Do you have any questions this Advent season? If so, you’re in good company. You might even have a few doubts. Again, you’re no different than Zechariah. Still, doubts and questions galore, the old boy trusted God. And so can we.