Devotions

Rev Gav

Light

Luke 1.76-80

“And you, my little son,
    will be called the prophet of the Most High,
    because you will prepare the way for the Lord.
You will tell his people how to find salvation
    through forgiveness of their sins.
Because of God’s tender mercy,
    the morning light from heaven is about to break upon us,
to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
    and to guide us to the path of peace.”

John grew up and became strong in spirit. And he lived in the wilderness until he began his public ministry to Israel.

Reflect

Zechariah was singing a song to God, and in the middle of his song, he turned from praising God, to a prophecy about his own son. He spoke directly to the baby, and I can imagine Zechariah scooping him up and holding him in the air as he said these wonderful words. Zechariah was a proud dad and John had not even done anything yet!

In the same way that Zechariah’s inability to speak was a sign of God doing a new thing in the world, John was going to be a living sign that pointed towards Jesus. John’s life’s work was going to be to tell the world that the Messiah had come, and to help people get ready.

Zechariah moved on to declare that his hope and faith was that this ‘anointed one’ or Messiah or Christ, was not only going to liberate the people from their enemies, but from sin and death itself. Jesus was going to be the light in the physical and spiritual darkness of the world.

The Jewish people were oppressed by the Romans and were hoping for liberation, however Zechariah was also pointing out that there was a bigger problem with humanity that needed fixing — and that through king Jesus, the solution would come.

Spend a moment Reflecting on what personal ‘darkness’ you would like God’s light to shine into, and, like Zechariah, hold this situation before God.

Why do you think God planned for John to come first, before Jesus — to prepare a way for him?

Pray

Holy God
Break into the darkest parts of my life.
Shine your light into the pain and shame
that I hide from view.
Lord Jesus, you promise liberation of captives,
so liberate me from my sin and that which binds me.
This day and for ever.

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