Advent Devotional Resource - San Francisco Theological Seminary

Monday, December 21Luke 1: 1-25A song sung in the Taize community, in France, and in our chapel services contains these words,“Wait for the Lord God’s day is near, wait for the Lord be strong take heart.” This song came to mindas I read the story of Zechariah and Elizabeth who spent a long number of year’s waiting and prayingfor God’s Anointed One to come; waiting and praying for a child of their own; waiting and prayingfor an answer to their prayers. Devout and strong in the faith, and with a pedigree that reachedback to Israel’s Siniatic roots, this couple was well connected spiritually. Yet, because of Elizabeth’sbarrenness, she and Zechariah endured an indescribable emptiness while waiting for the Lord. Stillthey presented themselves before God and daily sought to honor their covenant with the Almighty.In the ordinariness of their days, while Zechariah was performing his once in a lifetime duty ofentering the sanctuary of the Lord to offer incense, he experienced an epiphany. The Angel Gabrielappeared on the right side of the altar of incense and announced that a son would be born to thechildless couple. This was not to be just another birth but the birth of a child named, blessed, andcharged by God to prepare the people of Israel for the coming of the Lord. Lost for words Zechariahwas frozen silence. As incense rose inside the Temple and prayers of the people were lifted up toGod outside the holy place, God’s word was descending, mystically, in that ambience, upon thepriest and the people. The long wait was coming to an end—God was about to do a new thingthrough the chosen couple and through the Spirit-filled child who would be born to them. God’splan for redeeming and reconciling the world to God’s self was birthed that day in the Temple wheremultitudes worshipped and prayed daily for the coming of the Lord… and the God of their ancestorsheard their prayers and heeded them.When Zechariah received the announcement, he could hardly believe it; so in silence he was made toponder God’s promise that took shape in the womb of his beloved and grateful wife Elizabeth.During the season of Advent, Christians speak often about waiting for the second-coming of theLord. Our worship services echo scriptures and testimonies about waiting, watching, expecting,and seeking God’s light in the dark and difficult days in which we live. However, many of us, likeZechariah, are dutiful and go through the motions of religious observance but when Christ shows up,unexpectedly, we are not ready to receive Him. As a spiritual discipline this Advent Season considerinitiating a self imposed silence and, like Zechariah, wait and watch for the Lord. Like Elizabeth,consider ways to express gratitude for what the Lord has done for you. Then let your prayers, likeincense, be lifted up to the God who waits and longs to hear from you.Rev. Dr. Charles Marks,SFTS Associate Professor of MinistryEster M. Dornsife Chair for the Seminary Chaplain