Doubts about God’s Gifts?

Why in the world would Jesus be born into a human existence?

This is a question many often ask as we begin Advent and prepare for Jesus’ birth celebration. Do you have doubts about God entering into our world or the reasons why God enabled a young woman, Mary, to give birth to Jesus?

We begin the countdown to Christmas with four weeks of preparation. Sometimes there is panic in our voices when we ask, how will everything get done?  But what are we doing? What is essential to celebrate the birth of Jesus? To answer these questions we need to look at the stories which lead up to Jesus’ birth.

Before Mary became pregnant with Jesus, Zechariah and Elizabeth were told that they would have a child. Zechariah’s family had dedicated themselves to the care of temple, keeping the law and the high calling of representing the people before God. He lived in difficult and doubt-filled times. And he had no heir to carry on his name or his family’s priestly role. 

God sends an angel to tell him that Elizabeth would have a son to be named John. He will bring back many of the people of Israel to God. And he will make ready a people prepared for the Lord. But instead of thanking the angel, Zechariah doubts the angel’s words and how impossible it would be for Elizabeth to conceive and bear a child. Wasn’t Zechariah a man of faith? How could he not believe the angel and doubt what was possible? Maybe it was hope deferred. Or maybe after so many years he just could not fully grasp that he would have a son to raise. Because of his doubt, Zechariah became mute and for him as a worker to people in the church this would prove to be a hardship as he communicated the main and the message of life giving hope and comfort to all and now he could not talk and be understood.

Zechariah spoke words of doubt in God’s gifts and possibilities. He became unable to speak until John was born and ready to be named. Zechariah named him John and he grew up to be the one sent to prepare people for Jesus to come and minster among them. What are you doubting now?

Are you doubting you’re inability to live for yourself, to give to others instead of growing in faith and wondering if you truly need to wait expectantly for Jesus to come?

You might respond to these questions as matters of faith, but most likely these questions will cause us to ask further questions as we seek to grow in understanding who we are in relationship to Jesus- not as the baby in the manger, but as Saviour and Lord. What do you believe? What do you doubt?

Zechariah doubted the angel’s words and only could speak after the baby was born. He named him John. But what about you? What are the doubts in your mind that block you from believing in God’s Gift to us in Jesus?

Maybe it is time to open our hearts as we prepare to receive Him once again.

PRAYER

God of grace and hope we praise you and thank you for your promised gift of Jesus. Show us the way to grow in faith. Cast away our doubts so that we will know the baby of the manger and the Christ of the cross and empty tomb. Amen