Zechariah’s Praise For A Fulfilled Promise

Praise the Lord, the God of Israel,

because he has visited and redeemed his people.

He has sent us a mighty Savior

from the royal line of his servant David,

just as he promised

through his holy prophets long ago.

Now we will be saved from our enemies

and from all who hate us.

He has been merciful to our ancestors

by remembering his sacred covenant—

the covenant he swore with an oath

to our ancestor Abraham.

We have been rescued from our enemies

so we can serve God without fear.

Luke 1:68-74

Think back on a time when you rejoiced over receiving something you had been promised long before. For Zechariah, it was God’s promise to give him a son. Yet on the day of his son’s birth, Zechariah had even more to rejoice over. His son’s birth was only the beginning. His son—later named John the Baptist—would one day announce the coming of the Messiah, the Savior God had promised to Israel long ago. Another promise kept. Another reason to rejoice. We can only imagine what it was like for Zechariah to watch God’s promises being fulfilled before his eyes.

This Christmas Eve, meditate on God’s faithfulness to his promises.

• Dear Lord, I praise you, for you have sent us a mighty Savior, just as you promised . . .