Zechariah on the precipice of hope

Campbell Dye November 20, 2022 0 3

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Luke 1: 68-79 (NRSVA)

68 ‘Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,
    for he has looked favourably on his people and redeemed them.
69 He has raised up a mighty saviour for us
    in the house of his servant David,
70 as he spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets from of old,
71     that we would be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us.
72 Thus he has shown the mercy promised to our ancestors,
    and has remembered his holy covenant,
73 the oath that he swore to our ancestor Abraham,
    to grant us 74 that we, being rescued from the hands of our enemies,
might serve him without fear, 75 in holiness and righteousness
    before him all our days.
76 And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High;
    for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,
77 to give knowledge of salvation to his people
    by the forgiveness of their sins.
78 By the tender mercy of our God,
    the dawn from on high will break upon us,
79 to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
    to guide our feet into the way of peace.’

There is something unsettling yet exhilarating to think about standing on a precipice of hope. It’s that feeling that is telling you all will be well but the well bit hasn’t arrived yet. The story of Zechariah is the story of all of us. Life is never straightforward. We live through the ups and the downs. The doubts and the joys. Then there are moments when we reach a precipice in life. We have to step into a blank space and trust all will be well. People describe it as handing it over to God. In this story Zechariah was handing his son, his future, over to God. His son John would prepare the way for Jesus. What are we handing over to God as we stand at our precipice of hope?

PRAYER:

Lord,

I hope my daughter can be here for Christmas

I hope the homeless find a place of safety

I hope my church doesn’t close down

I hope my brother will get better

I hope I can pay all my bills

I hope I can sleep tonight

I hope I still have a job

I hope the sun shines

I hope I don’t give up

I hope all will be well

I hope war will cease

I hope truth prevails

I hope Faith returns

I hope peace lasts

I hope joy returns

I hope I live long

I hope I stay true

I hope I run well

Lord

You

Are

My

Hope