ACE #282: To Believe or Not to Believe? That Really Is the Question!

As I was studying the births of John the Baptist and Jesus in the Book of Luke, I noticed something different than any other time before when I have read these verses.  As the stories unfold and begin to intersect, I realized how Zechariah and Mary differed in their responses to the news concerning the births of their sons.

When the angel, Gabriel, came to Zechariah he told 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. ¹⁴ He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, ¹⁵ for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born. ¹⁶ He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. ¹⁷ And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”
¹⁸ Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.”

The angel told Zechariah that because he did not believe he would remain silent until the day of the birth of John.  Gabriel also told him that the words would come true at the proper, or appointed, time.

Fast forward to Mary, who has a similar encounter with the angel, Gabriel.  And it states:

²⁸ The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”
²⁹ Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. ³⁰ But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. ³¹ You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. ³² He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, ³³ and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”
³⁴ “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”
³⁵ The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called^[b] the Son of God. ³⁶ Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. ³⁷ For no word from God will ever fail.”
³⁸ “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.
 
The angel told Mary exactly how she, a virgin, would become pregnant.  He also told her that her cousin, Elizabeth, would have a child in her old age even though she was said to be barren.  However, Zechariah doubted the message, the messenger, and the one who sent the messenger. This is so profound because Zechariah and Elizabeth were both old, but were referred to as "upright" and "blameless" in the sight of God. It also says that Zechariah was in a temple of the Lord burning incense where people worshipped and prayed.  He was standing in a holy place and still did not believe!

Yet Mary, although troubled and confused by the angel's initial greeting, submitted by saying "I am the Lord's servant."  She had expectation.  She had favor. She believed and concluded with, "May it be to me as you have said."  Both stories are evidence that nothing is impossible with God.

Ask yourself these questions:
Will you be like Zechariah?  Will you question God's blessing...even though you asked for it specifically?  Or will you be like Mary?  Will you be grateful for a miracle that you did not ask for, yet God saw favor in you to give you that blessing? 

If you are waiting on God to answer your prayers, perhaps the appointed time for the blessings to manifest are tied to your belief... 

Will you believe God's words when they are spoken to you?

 

To Believe or not to believe?

That is the question!