no fear...

" ... to rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and to enable us to serve Him without fear in holiness and righteousness before Him all our days."

I have been reading, in Luke, a song of prophecy from a man who questioned an angel and was given a lengthy "time out". Zechariah, husband of the childless Elizabeth, was serving in the temple when an angel told him that he would have a son. This was a real man. An older man, who had had years of disappointments, years of waiting and hoping, of watching his wife feel disappointment and disgrace. A man who believed in God and was faithful. He was going through the motions, serving in the temple, a great honour, but was startled- was not expecting what, or rather who, came. And definitely not expecting the news he brought. A son! A son? Really?

"How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years."

I love these stories. I love God's mercy and His provision. I love that He hears and answers prayers of those of use who believe, but not always that God is going to do more than we could ask or imagine. He hears and answers the prayers of those of us who forget that God is a giver of good gifts. Those like me, who pray, but sometimes wonder if we should pray about something as worldly as a husband, or children, or health and healing, or provision of food, or money or clothes, or safety, or protection.

God, I am grateful that we did not receive a spirit that makes us slaves again to fear, but we received the Spirit of sonship. And by HIM we cry, "Abba, Father." The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. (Now if we are children, then we are heirs - heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in His sufferings in order that we may also share in His glory. ) Teach us Lord to be led by Your Spirit because we are Your children. Teach us not to be afraid to have desires, nor to surrender them to You. We acknowledge that our hearts are sometimes fearful for the things we do not have, but we surrender those to You. Knowing full well that only You meet our true desire, only You meet our needs. Be glorified in us Oh Lord. Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Amen.

Romans 8:15-17. Luke 2:11-20, 67-75.