Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

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The vision to Zachariah regarding birth of John The Baptist.
Luke 1:5-23
Rev. Johnson T. Unnithan
Vicar
Immanuel MTC, Houston
V 14 ,15  : ...many will rejoice at his birth for he will be great in the sight of the Lord.
This portion of  scripture is to be read and understood as  part of the salvific plan of God being executed in the incarnation, which we meditate upon as our preparation for Christmas.
                     We see Zechariah and Elizabeth are blessed by God and selected to be parents of John . The joy of the passage is not just that their problems were solved and their sorrows erased,the greatest thing to be noticed here is that they were made part of the great  plan of God.Their joy is not confined in the family ,the text says that as it is joy sent by God at His own time, many will rejoice in his birth. That shows the community aspect of God's inclusive plans. It is not only in our accomplishments that we see God's providence ,it is really in how God is using us as His instruments in His plans.
 
This passage gives us a renewed insight about parental aspirations.Verse 15 says he will be great in God's sight.We often wish that we all and our children should be great in achievements, in vocations, careers, etc. How much do we wish that we and our children should grow great in the sight of God. Many of the things we see as great may be of  least importance in the sight of God. In setting our priorities, in our decisions, in our lifestyle, let us try hard to be pleasing and great in the sight of God.
 
The text also reminds us of the Mission of John.The Great joy they had in the birth of John was not just that they were given a son in their old age, but that they could be parents of a great missionary who "turns the people to their God"(V16). John the baptist is known as the "missionary who loved his mission more than his head".That is the model of  how children given to righteous and obedient parents know and fulfill the will of God. Through John , the priestly family of Zechariah and Elizabeth were blessed to become more than that was just assigned to their priestly lineage. They got a part in the incarnational mission of God.

PRAYER

Our God, help us as families, to be partakers in Your mission, to be righteous and obedient in Your sight, like Zechariah and Elizabeth. Teach us to aim at building lives that are "great in Your sight". In the name of Jesus, Amen.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
How do we see our life mission? More than our achievements, blessings, gains, solution of our problems, etc. Can we see God as one who uses us in His mission for this world?

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