The father of John the Baptist, Zachariah, had been struck dumb for not believing the promise of the angel Gabriel...that a son would be born to he and his wife. When it came time to pronounce the name of the newborn boy, Zachariah was suddenly able to speak again after he acknowledged the name given by Gabriel for the boy. But then, as time passed, the man who had resisted the will of the angel became filled with the Holy Spirit and the one who had been unable to speak was transformed to one with wondrous things to say. Listen: "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, because He has come and brought deliverance and redemption to His people! And He has raised up a Horn of salvation for us in the house of David His servant. This is as He promised by the mouth of His holy prophets from the most ancient times, That we should have deliverance and be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all who detest and pursue us with hatred; To make true and show the mercy and compassion and kindness promised to our forefathers, and to remember and carry out His Holy covenant"
And of his young son, Zacharias had this to say: "And you, little one, shall be called prophet of the Most High; for you shall go before the face of the Lord to make ready His ways, To bring and give the knowledge of salvation to His people in the forgiveness and remission of their sins.....To shine upon and give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to direct and guide our feet in a straight line into the way of peace." (from Luke 1:68-79)
There is a loving God with a plan for our rescue and our best interests...He can change the mind from one of resistance and unbelief to one that is the willing vessel for His message of love. He is still doing this today! Like Zachariah, we too can go from chumps to champions.
blessings,
Rob Smith
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