Be Still And Know

Luke 1:76-77 And you, my little son, will be called the prophet of the Most High, because you will prepare the way for the Lord. You will tell his people how to find salvation through forgiveness of their sins. Have you ever lost your voice? I’ve had many sore throats and, at times, have had difficulty speaking. But only once have I lost my voice completely. It lasted for around two weeks and it was the most bizarre experience. I felt horribly disconnected from everything that was happening around me. So, I have great sympathy for Zechariah, who was rendered unable to speak for nine months. Only after the birth of his son, John the Baptist, was his speech suddenly restored - and here are some of his words. John and Jesus were relatives, but they were brought up in very different parts of Israel and so probably didn’t know one another very well. But Zechariah recognised that John would play a crucial role in God’s plans. John’s message of repentance was crucial in paving the way for Jesus’ ministry - and h