“He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s astonishment he wrote, His name is John.” Luke 1:64
Zechariah and Elizabeth were old and had not been expected to ever have any children. One day while in the temple an angel came to Zechariah and told him they would have a child and his name was to be John. Zechariah had a hard time believing the message so was made unable to speak.
Things happened just as the angel had said. Now the day came to circumcise and name this new baby. The traditions of the day were that the baby would be named after the father. This was always a great honor for the father. It would carry on his family name.
However, when the people tried to name the baby after Zechariah, his mother said no and that he would be named John. No one could believe this. How could she break with tradition?
So they ask Zechariah what the name of the child would be. Remember, he cannot talk…yet. He gets a tablet and writes down that his name is to be John. Immediately he could talk again, and so he began to praise God.
Zechariah had learned his lesson about trusting God and doing what God wants. For nine months he had been unable to speak because of unbelief. He now knew that God meant what He said. He did not dare to defy God again.
You may not be having a miraculous baby today, but what is God telling you to do? Often, in the world’s eyes, the things that God tells you to do don’t always make common sense. God sees the big picture and guides you according to it.
Do you question what God is telling you? Are you willing to not listen to God and listen to the world’s way of doing things? Are you willing to follow tradition rather than God?
Do not allow yourself to be led by tradition. Follow God. Seek God for wisdom and direction. God used John in a mighty way. Zechariah had greater honor in following God, than he would have if he had disobeyed.
Trust and follow God today.
I pray today that God will open your eyes to His ways; that you will break with man’s ways and follow God’s ways; that you will not fear breaking tradition to follow God; and that God will use you to build His kingdom.
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