I wonder how he felt when Mary came to visit their home and recounted her story to him and Elizabeth. "Why didn't I just say that?" I imagine he shook his head as he marveled at the humble, wise, faithful response of his little cousin. "Why did I have to challenge it? 'May it be to me as you have said.'" (shaking his head in mournful silence) "'May it be to me...'"
But he learned to communicate without his voice. He was able to share with his elderly wife what the angel had revealed to him. Together they anticipated the fulfillment of those words, and together they watched as her belly grew. They knew that everything that had been told to him in that fateful moment in the temple was coming to pass. And together they chose to believe what God was doing.
The moment came. The boy was born. And the pain of childbirth was washed away by the joy of parenthood and the thrill of God's plan in action.
But still, Zechariah was silent.
I wonder if he thought that would be the moment. "Until the day this happens," the angel had said.
Eight days passed. Sleepless nights, overwhelming joys, fearful moments. Eight days since the word of God that had been handed to Zechariah was fulfilled.
And still, he was silent.
They all gathered around for the ceremony - friends and neighbors rejoicing with the aged couple. "How can this be?" "God has shown favor!" "This child is a gift from the Lord." They asked for a name, but didn't trust or respect the woman's response. Turning to Zechariah, they hoped he could find a way to tell them she was wrong.
With eager hands, and resolute assurance, he wrote his answer: His name is John.
Not "We're thinking John." Not "He will be John." Not even, "Look, I know it doesn't make sense, but God's up to something, and we were told to call him John."
His name is John.
This is who he is. It is already done. The plan is already in action.
And as soon as he gave this response, this unabashedly faithful response, his tongue was freed.
Then, with a mouth that had been imprisoned to his faithlessness for 9 months, he praised the name of His God.
He could have first said, "I can speak!" He could have gathered up the son of his old age and exclaimed "my boy!" But his first words were words of faithful, humble, adoring praise of the God who was sending salvation to the world and including him and his simple family in his plan.
And all of these things made people wonder, and awe, and ask what God was doing.
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Oh sweet Zechariah. I've always had a soft spot for him. It never felt completely fair that he was struck dumb because of a simple question - a perfectly reasonable question, if you ask me.
But without his long stretch of silence - without that introductory moment of naive faithlessness - the steel-eyed, faithfilled, convicted moment of "his name is John" would have been utterly lost on me.
Zechariah understood what God was about. He knew he had been given a role to play. He was done questioning and wondering and excusing. With those simple words, "His name is John," Zechariah was all in.
Though it took a 9-month minute, Zechariah did what anyone ought to do when they realize that God is ahead of them and always working, and that He has chosen to include them in His plan: he obeyed.
And he spoke! And he praised. And people took notice, because people notice things like faith and conviction. "What is God doing here?" they wondered.
What do I learn from Zechariah's "his name is John" moment? When God has a plan and gives you a part in it, play your part. Don't ask why, don't ask how, don't say "this can't be" or "what about". Be a person of faith like Zechariah. Let your steel-eyed conviction leave an impact on those around you.
Let your faith cause people to wonder, and awe, and ask what God is doing.
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