Pleasant Stone Devotional Meditation: December 18

“The angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard: and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John … And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years. And the angel answering said … behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not be able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed …” ~ Luke 1:13, 18-20

When old Zacharias doubted that God would send a child to him and his wife in their old age, he lost his power of speech. I don’t believe God sent this as a punishment. I believe it is simply a consequence of Zacharias’ real doubt.

Surely, it must have seemed fantastic to the old fellow having the angel Gabriel appear as he did, with such news. And his question: “Whereby shall I know this?” was a perfectly normal question for a human being.

But the angel’s answer was a perfectly normal answer for an angel too. He simply said, “I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and ma sent to speak unto thee, and to show thee these glad tidings.” Gabriel stood in the presence of God. That was enough. The message was straight and clear and to him, quite believable. God had said it. Gabriel knew God personally. But Zacharias, living in that still half-dark hour just before Jesus came, wondered and doubted. Zacharias was a priest. Talking was a big part of his work. It was hampered, almost stopped in fact, because of his doubt.

Has your work never been hampered because of doubt?
Has mine [Eugenia Price, the author’s] never hampered by doubt?

Zacharias doubted and it stilled his tongue, it greatly inhibited his performance of his duties, but God’s purpose rolled right along anyway. The child, John, was born right on schedule.

“The glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.”