Luke 1:57-66 – Faith Through Trial

When Elizabeth gives birth to a son, all her relatives and friends rejoice with her. Though it is a small thing, rejoicing with those who rejoice and weeping with those who weep, is a godly thing (Romans 12:15), and it is something that our Lord Jesus Christ did, rejoicing at a wedding and weeping at a funeral (John 2 and 11).
Zechariah has changed over the past nine months. He has had his eyes open to his faithlessness, and now he believes every word that Gabriel spoke to him and is willing to obey. We are sinners, and it is inevitable that at some point in our lives God will discipline us as a father disciplines His children. When this happens, we should pray that our attitude will be like Zechariah’s – a willingness to learn from our pain, a sorrow for unbelief, and a desire to wholeheartedly obey. How sad it is when troubles drive men and women further from God instead of to Him. We should pray even now that any trouble or struggle in our life will do us good, and that we, like Zechariah, will be the more faithful for it.

We are told that the Lord’s hand is upon John. This is what we should be hoping and praying for our covenant children. This is the best, most enduring thing we can ask for the boys and girls, young men and women, that sit in our church week in and week out, that the hand of God will be upon them, and that they will belong to Him. Our Lord does not change – what He does for the son of Zechariah and Elizabeth, He can do for our sons and daughters. We should be earnestly praying day after day that He will make our children His own.

Questions
1. How can you rejoice and weep with others?
2. What had Zechariah learned?
3. What should we be praying for our children?

Prayer Points
1. Pray for our covenant children.
2. Use prayer points from your congregation.
3. Pray for family matters.