by Pastor Rich Carlson
 

The angel Gabriel came and visited priest Zechariah and told the old man that he and his equally elderly wife were going to have a child. Their son John, who was called to “make ready a people prepared for the Lord” (verse 17), came about because God sent Gabriel to a couple, barren but apparently not by their choosing. Within the context of this piece of the gospel I learned that John and his parents:

1. Were serving God

2. Were upright in the sight of God

Though I do not believe in a correlation between the quantity of serving and being upright and the quantity of blessings received, I do believe there is a relationship between my daily commitment to God each day and the opportunity it provides God to take that commitment and do greater things with it than might have otherwise happened.  If we live our lives following God’s ways, being obedient to His word, He has even greater opportunity to bless us.

As I was writing this, I pictured God back some 2000 years ago, saying, “Who can I trust with this treasured messenger that I’m going to name John? I think I’ll choose old Zech and his wife. They’re down there serving Me, living for Me so they can live happy and holy lives. They are very human but I can work with them as long as they are committed to Me.” I can see God looking down right now, saying something similar about me and about you. Are we available and ready to be especially blessed?

Rich Carlson is campus chaplain at Union College in Lincoln, Nebraska. “God Is Faithful” is adapted from the email devotionals he writes regularly for the Union College family. Rich enjoys filling his life with God, his family, and especially his five grandchildren.