Advent is a time of waiting, time to renew our lifestyle and our form of waiting. Advent waiting is a form of life, not just a passing season. Advent is living in hope and joy.
Some people wait filling their time with frenetic, useless activities, some wait full of anxiety, depression, and doubt, some wait losing themselves in pleasures, and some wait and keep watch calmly with hope, joy, and confidence. Zachariah and Elizabeth had waited all their lives for a child. In their culture, the lack of a child would have been a disaster for their family. It would have been a source of deep, personal shame, disgrace, and sadness — and even ridicule from their neighbors. Some people would have even thought that Zachariah and Elizabeth were being punished by God. Zachariah and Elizabeth would have prayed repeatedly for many, many years for a child. Zachariah was a temple priest due to his tribe in Israel. Surely, he would have prayed for a child in the temple during his assigned times of service. Apparently, Zachariah’s long waiting, right up to his old age, produced bitterness, disbelief, and despair. He went through the external rituals every time he was assigned to his priestly duties in the temple, but his heart was full of questions and complaints against God’s action in his own life.
When Gabriel appears at the altar of incense and announces God’s plan for Elizabeth, Zachariah, and their son, Zachariah can only respond with disbelief. He can only speak of despair. We can imagine all the complaints that rolled off his tongue. It was surely a long list of complaints. The good news announced by Gabriel was turned into bad news by Zacharias.
So, Gabriel gives Zachariah nine more months of waiting – this time without being able to speak – to learn how to live in hope and joy and how to proclaim God’s goodness. Elizabeth responds saying very humbly that God had responded to her prayers when he saw fit. Not in the time that Elizabeth or Zachariah wanted or would have chosen, but in God’s time. She responds with faith and service. After the nine months, once his son is born and Zacharias muteness is broken, he bursts into a beautiful song of praise, blessing God for God’s action in his life and the life of Israel.
Zachariah and Elizbeth call us to revise of sense of time and our form of waiting. Advent the continual living out of our Christian life proclaiming hope, joy, and faith. That is how we can use our talents keeping watch until the Lord comes.
So has the Lord done for me at a time when he has seen fit.
Image: https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=3FaOIGIQvuk