Faith Starts Here
So it was, as soon as the days of his service were completed, that he departed to his own house. Luke 1:23
Wow, this is something. Even though Zacharias came out of the Holy place without a voice, he continued on for the rest of his time at the temple to complete his duties. If this had been me, I’m sure I would have taken a day off if not the rest of my time, but Zacharias recognized that he was responsible before God to complete his work. He didn’t even rush out to try to accomplish what the angel told him with his wife at home. It just happened after those days. The angel told Zacharias the plan, and then all Zacharias had to do was believe and wait by living his life as always. He finished his work; he went home, and he got intimate with his wife at some point. The only thing that was different was now he could not talk.
This speaks to me because many times I perceive the Lord pointing in a direction and almost immediately I begin to wonder and plan for how it is going to happen. I have to admit, there have been times that I even tried to make things happen, but that isn’t how God works. I believe the reason He shows us things that are coming is so that we can have hope and be watching for them. Our faith must be engaged to not pass up the plans He has for us. Imagine you pray to your heavenly Father and tell Him that you want to complete and accomplish everything He has planned for you, but you don’t know what that is and do not listen when He is talking to you about those things. Then when the doors are open to His plans, you pass them by because your flesh doesn’t want to do those things, or they seem too big and impossible for you to achieve. That is the point. If you could do them on your own, you wouldn’t need God’s help and direction.
Zacharias had relations with his wife for many years and nothing happened. Now God spoke to him through the angel and hope was brought to life. I’m sure Zacharias went home and wrote to Elizabeth about what the angel told him so now her faith was activated to believe that God wants to do something here. Their hope was no longer limited by the outward circumstances of barrenness. They had God’s Word on the situation and now they had something to attach their faith to.
The point is faith starts where the will of God is known. You have faith for things you know about God and if you don’t know them, there is nothing to have faith in. For example, you have faith for salvation because you learned that whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. (Romans 10:13) Until someone told you about it, you had no idea that God wanted to save you. Even if you had that desire in you, you would have dismissed it because of a condemning spirit or you would have begun to seek Him and find out if you could be saved from the sin of the world. Your salvation didn’t happen until you heard God’s Word on the subject. Other examples are you have faith that God is a good God because the scriptures tell us that He is. You have faith for healing and protection because His Word says He heals all your diseases and redeems your life from destruction. (Psalms 103) If you don’t know that, then you live in fear of something bad happening because you see it all around you. Your faith is attached to what you know whether that is fear in this physical world or belief in what God spoke in His Word or to your heart.
Today I want to encourage you to find out the benefits God has for you and the plans. Psalms 103 says to Bless the Lord oh my soul and don’t forget all of His benefits. One benefit is that you can know God’s plan and purpose for your life. Spend some time today and everyday talking with and listening to the voice of His Spirit inside of you. Then ask Him for scripture to solidify what He is leading you to. You want to be sure you are attaching your faith to the Word of God, not some random desire you have. When you seek Him with all your heart and ask for His confirmation on what you are hearing, then you will find Him and all the blessings He has for you. (Jeremiah 29:13)
Today’s scripture reading: Luke 1:21-25
21 And the people waited for Zacharias, and marveled that he lingered so long in the temple.
22 But when he came out, he could not speak to them; and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple, for he beckoned to them and remained speechless.
23 So it was, as soon as the days of his service were completed, that he departed to his own house.
24 Now after those days his wife Elizabeth conceived; and she hid herself five months, saying,
25 “Thus the Lord has dealt with me, in the days when He looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.”
The Daily Dose 