“This is what the Lord has done for me at the time when he has been gracious to me, to take away my disgrace among people.”
I absolutely love a good comeback story. I am a forever champion of the underdog. Give me all the tissues because I will cry tears of joy alongside of you as you share your own story of Gods faithfulness in your life. Stories like this never get old to me.
One of my favorite memories from the day my children and I moved into our new house is when I walked upstairs and found my son Ezra, in his new room pulling letters to change the message on his marquee box. He asked me how to spell “built” so my interest was naturally peeked at this point. He didn’t let me see what he was spelling out until it was finished.
When he called me into his new room, he proudly stood next to the window and pointed to his work of art which read, “God Built Us A House.”
Y’all. I cried. Right then and there. It was my eight-year-old son that connected the dots between our season of waiting and the promise fulfilled by God.
As we continued to live in the home that reminded us of a disappointing season in our life, we prayed faith filled prayers as a family every single night. We knew the Lord would not leave us in that place and He had the perfect home for us when the timing was right. However, I was still so shocked, almost in disbelief when the day our house got a full price offer and this newly built home just a mile away from us went on the market. Same day. It’s like I believed God could do it, but would He really do it for me?
In Luke 1:6 we read about Zachariah and Elizabeth, a couple “righteous in the sight of God, following all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blamelessly,” who were very familiar with a long season of waiting.
I have found myself asking the same question that Zachariah did in Luke 1:18 when he asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this?” Being that a real life angel was in his presence, I don’t doubt he didn’t believe this message of a son. Joy and gladness were on the away, but maybe, just maybe, he was afraid to hope again. Maybe he stopped praying those prayers. There was a consequence for his disbelief, but it did not keep God from fulfilling His promise. Whether he believed Him or not, God’s good plan was not taken away from Zachariah.
I’m so thankful that God is still faithful, even when we aren’t.
We serve a Promise Keeper. We see this all throughout the Bible, from beginning to end. The Lord kept His promise to Zachariah and Elizabeth, even in their old age, and He will keep His promise to you. God’s promises will come to fruition on His terms and in His perfect timing, for our good.
Not only did God bless Elizabeth with a baby of her own, He removed her disgrace (shame, loss of reputation or respect). This is a promise we have in Jesus today: through His death and resurrection, our sin and shame is removed.
Shame keeps us away from God. We see this play out with Adam and Eve in the very first book of the Bible. His plan all along was to send us His Son, a real life hope for our desperate hearts.
My prayer for you today is that you would not lose hope in the waiting. He is with you. He wipes away every tear. He will see you through. Jesus is our Hope when we feel hopeless.
A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices….
Week 4 Challenge:
Before the busyness of Christmas takes over, commit to spending time each day this week with God. He is the reason we have something to celebrate this season! What better way to celebrate His coming than to spend time each day with Him, praising Him for His faithfulness, His covenant promises, and the gift of Jesus. Let your life be an expression of thankfulness for His faithfulness by committing to your relationship with Him.
Week 4 Reading Plan:
Week 4 Memory Verse:
