They were old, Elizabeth was barren and they were upright in the sight of God. Faithful servants but not quite fulfilled. They are described as people who observed all the Lord's commandments and regulations blamelessly but they had no children. This was a huge deal back then, huge deal now especially when you want children. I don't think they were hoping anymore and Elizabeth had figured out what to do with her life apart from being a mother. That must have been hard in a culture and time where being a mother was the most important role a woman could fulfill. They also felt that God had maybe overlooked them and somehow even in their faithful service it wasn't good enough. Longing unfulfilled as far as they knew.
Daily they were faithful anyway to what they knew they were given to do...
One day Zechariah goes to the temple...this time a bit different, he is chosen by lot to burn incense in the Holy of Holies. Everyone is waiting outside worshiping and an Angel comes down and brings tidings of a baby. Long story short...Zechariah does not believe, Angel gets mad, Zechariah gets to be mute for 9 months and Elizabeth gets to be pregnant and bear a child. Not just any child...the forerunner of Jesus, a voice calling in the wilderness, a strange child who eats grasshoppers and honey. A child who grows to be a man, set apart for an amazing task but who ends up getting killed by Herod a bit sooner then Jesus his cousin.
Elizabeth's disgrace had been removed..this is my favorite part of the whole story except for her husband being mute, that's just funny. God could have chosen anyone else but not only did he restore her to her community, he gave her the joy of caring a child and raising him.
Maybe God does not overlook our disgrace either.
Maybe in this season of longing and expectation He will meet us and surprise us. We may feel too old, too young, too inexperienced, too jaded, too disappointed, too something...maybe like Zechariah and Elizabeth He will bring us good news.
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