A Song of Hope Written by Sunita Geevarughese ( Northwest U.S./Western Canada )
A Song of Hope
(St. Luke 1:57-80)
The Christmas season is upon us – a time that brings a sense of wonder, laughter, loads of shopping, giving and receiving gifts, as well as (my personal favourite) Christmas carols. Amongst all of these, we must not lose sight of the central message that accompanies this time of year – one of FAITH, HOPE, and LOVE.
Let us revisit one of the significant events that took place, leading up to the miraculous day that is Christmas. This story involves a family we are all familiar with – Elizabeth, Zacharias, and the birth of their blessed son, John.
When he received news from the angel that he and his wife, Elizabeth, would bear a child in their old age, Zacharias’ rational way of thinking caused him to doubt and falter in his faith. This resulted in the loss of his ability to speak. It was difficult for Zacharias to believe that he and his wife could bear a child. From a scientific standpoint, they were too old! If we were to put ourselves in this situation, I’m sure the majority of us would not believe John’s birth would be possible.
In Zacharias’ silence, he was able to reaffirm his faith and trust in God and His wondrous works. When the unlikely happened, and his son was born, Zacharias declared his son’s name and his tongue was loosed. Immediately, ‘he spoke praising God’ (Luke 1:64). When Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, his song was one full of HOPE. He sang of God’s ability to redeem and deliver His people. It is through this prophecy that he was able to teach the people about God’s love, and build their faith.
Zacharias also sang of his son’s role in Jesus Christ’s life. John, would be ‘called the prophet of the Highest’ (Luke 1:76). When John grew, he moved to the desert and cultivated the field for the coming of Jesus. In that barren land, John sewed the seeds of faith and hope of the Messiah in the hearts and minds of the people.
Since John’s conception, he was bound to Jesus as the ‘prophet of the Highest’. His faith in the Lord was exemplified even as a fetus when he leapt in Elizabeth’s womb. When you whole-heartedly meditate on Elizabeth’s, Zacharias’ and, most notably John’s hope, faith and love in God, you’ll find it to be a beautiful and inspiring example for your life.
We call ourselves believers and followers of the Lord, but when faced with life’s challenges, it’s easy for us to default to the rational, rather than our faith. After all, where is God when we need Him most? Why is it, at these times, we feel the deepest sense of loneliness? I assure you, the Good Lord is there, with His loving arms outstretched, waiting for you to just reach out and grab hold. He has also meticulously placed companions to be shining examples of His love in our lives. Take that chance, and invest your hope and faith in our loving, heavenly Father. You will surely find comfort in knowing that God’s love will never fail. Just as in Zacharias’ case, God will shower blessings upon us, far beyond our any of our earthly imaginations…when the time is right.
And now abide faith, hope, love these three, but the greatest of these is love (1 Corinthians 13:13)
Questions for Meditation
1) How can you pass along the message of faith, hope and love not only during the Christmas season, but in your daily life?
Author’s Information:
Name: Sunita Geevarughese
Area: Northwest U.S./Western Canada
Email Address: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it