But 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 call him John. He will be a joy and delight to you… And he will go on before the Lord… to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

Luke 1:8-17

Think back to the time when you received the best gift you’ve ever been given. Do you remember what you felt like? There’s nothing quite like the feeling of getting a gift that you have wanted for quite a while. There’s joy, thankfulness, and excitement all rolled into one experience.

Read Luke 1:8-17, then think back to all those positive feelings you had – perhaps for your first car, or the new phone you always wanted or maybe the new game system – then multiply those feelings by about a million. That may have been what Zechariah was feeling here.
In this passage, Zechariah found out he’d be receiving the thing he and his wife had most longed for. In their old age, the couple would have a son. But this was not going to be any ordinary son. This child, who would one day come to be known as John the Baptist, would help prepare the world for the coming of Jesus.

Throughout the Christmas story, we see these types of incredible interactions between God and His people. God was doing amazing things to make way for His Son, Jesus. Zechariah and Elizabeth had a small role to play. But what a remarkable story! As we think about their story, let’s not miss the application to our story. God is able and willing to work powerfully through each of us to shake up the world for His glory. Part of what we pray should be to ask Him to use us in awesome ways, just like He used Zechariah, Elizabeth, and eventually their son, John.

Expect great things from God and be ready and willing to be used!