“Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear.  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 many will rejoice because of his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord.” (Luke 1:11-15)

     The prayers of Zechariah and Elizabeth were answered, and in a way that was not expected.  They would have a son born to them, but given their age, it was not likely that they would enjoy their son’s life as he matured into who the angel said he would be.  Ultimately, God is doing more than removing the social shame (of that era) of Zechariah and Elizabeth’s barrenness.  He’s using John to remove the shame of the whole world, connected with the announcement of Jesus’ birth, which would follow.

     Not all of our prayers are answered in the ways we expect.  But we can take heart in the fact that God is looking out for us in ways that exceed our expectations!

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank you for hearing our prayers.  Give us peace and patience as we wait for answers.  Help us to fully trust in you.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.