Praise Be To The Lord

Praise Be To the Lord

Monday, December 15th, 2008

Read Luke 1: 67-80.

In this reading we see Zechariah proclaiming with joy the impending salvation of his people.  Beginning in v 76 he addresses his son, John, directly.  It is a beautiful song of praise to the Sovereign Lord.  It becomes more beautiful, even spectacular, when you consider that these are the first words from Zechariah’s mouth in months.

Earlier in the first chapter of Luke, we are introduce to Zechariah as he sets about to fulfill a once in a lifetime assignment: tending the incense burner of the temple.  While in the temple to perfrom this honor (you were selected by lots to do this task and then pronounce the blessing on the people and a person could only do it once in their lifetime) Zechariah meets the angel Gabriel who tells him of the fact that his wife will conceive a child and they arer to name him John.  He is told that the boy wll be a great joy to them both and that he “will bring many of the people of Israel back to the Lord.”

Zechariah is an older man as is his wife.  He does not believe what the angel tells him.  Apparently the depth of Zechariah’s doubt was significant because the angel tells him that he will not speak until it comes to pass.  When Zechariah left the temple to proclaim the blessing he had no voice.

Our text today, shows that the first words from Zechariah’s lips after all this time (months of being quiet I am sure is difficult) are fittingly a praise to the wonders of God. 

Not just a praise to God.   But a proclamation of what God is doing in the world. 

So the question for you and I becomes… is this us?

After we have been through a difficult time (even one brought about because of a crisis of faith) is our first instinct to praise God for what he has done?  Even if our first instinct is to offer praise, would it be totally centered on God and his action or just on the action that effected us?  

I suspect not.  I suspect that most of us would be centeredon how we were feeling, and what God had done for us, and how great God was because he had seen fit to act on our behalf.

Zechariah’s response shames us all. 

Perhaps this Advent, we would all do well to ask the Spirit to help teach us that ultimately everything is about the purpose God is up to and only secondly, perhaps thirdly, or even tenthly, is it about ourselves individually.