Unexpected Answers to Prayers

Day 5

Scripture

Luke 1:11-17

An angel from the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the altar of incense. When Zechariah saw the angel, he was startled and overcome with fear. The angel said, “Don’t be afraid, Zechariah. Your prayers have been heard.

Your wife Elizabeth will give birth to your son and you must name him John. He will be a joy and delight to you, and many people will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great in the Lord’s eyes. He must not drink wine and liquor. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before his birth. 

He will bring many Israelites back to the Lord their God. He will go forth before the Lord, equipped with the spirit and power of Elijah. He will turn the hearts of fathers back to their children, and he will turn the disobedient to righteous patterns of thinking. He will make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

Devotional

Okay, I think this scripture starts out a bit confusing. So let’s start by backing up and giving a bit of context first. 

Zechariah was a priest and he was married to Elizabeth. They were trying to conceive for many years but it just wasn’t successful for them. 

They had stopped trying to have children after many years. They were most likely over the age of 60 and didn’t think it was possible. 

That’s where the scripture picks up. An angel appears from God and tells Zechariah that their prayers have been answered and that Elizabeth is pregnant – what!? Very unexpected for them. 

Their son’s name was John and he ended up being John the Baptist. He was a prophet and he lived his life telling people about God, performing baptisms, and so many things. He even got to baptize Jesus himself, which would be so awesome.

(Side note, Mary (mother of Jesus) was a relative of Elizabeth. It’s so cool that these families were connected!)

When I read this scripture, it always reminds me that prayer truly is so powerful. Zechariah and Elizabeth prayed so long and so diligently for a child. 

They probably felt so sad that their prayers weren’t answered because as they aged the probability and likelihood of her carrying a child was slim to none. 

Then, John came along. God did answer their prayer – just not in a way they would have expected. 

I think this is a good reminder for us as well. I have a prayer journal that I write in. Every few months I go back and read old entries. 

It’s so interesting to see how God has answered many of my prayers in ways that I never would have anticipated (and sometimes in ways I don’t want, too). 

Has this happened in your life? Think of some of your prayers from the past. Were they answered the way you thought they would be?

Prayer

God, first I want to thank you. Thank you for listening to my prayers and always hearing me. Remind me today that you are with me always. And, help me to remember that you always answer prayer but it just might not be the way I imagined it. Amen. 

Challenge

Consider switching up your prayer routine today. If you usually pray internally, try writing it down! It could be on paper or on your notes in your phone. You could listen to music while you pray, pray in a different location, or at a different time. 

If you don’t usually pray, that’s okay! Maybe today is a good chance to start. 

By Katey Schneider