A Father’s Song

I can just imagine Zechariah holding his new son close, a little boy holding onto his finger and gazing up at him with eyes in a way that only an infant can.  Opening his mouth, he gave his son a prayer, a poem of song to prophesy what his son’s life would present.

Offering praise to God, Zechariah prophesied that his son came, not to be the source of salvation, but instead be the herald to the one who would!  A father’s pride in his son having a purpose that was part of God’s plans was the role John was being spoken to about by his dad.  I wonder if it was one of those quiet moments between father and son, holding the baby close and talking to him, praying over him in the quiet of a nap. 

Zechariah started with praise – Praise God because He has brought redemption to His people!  Oh the journey that the people were taken through, from creation and a flood, from Egypt to wandering, from bondage by neighboring nations to national freedom, and now – from true bondage of the soul to true freedom.  Each of the steps that God had planned were a step in “showing mercy and remembering his holy covenant,” (Luke 1:72).    The difficult times were also a part of this, even though I’m very certain that when the people were going though them it was heartbreaking to understand.  Have you ever felt that way in your own life?  I have, times when I have wondered (quite loudly) why something difficult is happening, why God is allowing that to happen. 

I love the next part of this, as Zechariah remembers the difficult times the people have faced, and then goes on  ^“to rescue us from the hand of our enemies,  and to enable us to serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness before him all our days,” (Luke 1:74-75).  Times of difficulty to enable us, can you imagine?  That is just not the way my mind thinks so it’s hard for me.  Enable, to authorize, make possible, permit, give an okay to, consent – God how could you consent to those difficult things?  Yet, somehow I don’t think Zechariah didn’t even stumble on those words.  I think that this man had a much broader understanding, I think of how this new father has a different awareness in the role of a father.  He will hold his son close and teach him, and part of that will be allowing young John as he starts toddling and growing to learn consequences.  This sense of boundaries, knowing what can and cannot be done, knowing what to expect from the choices that are made is an authorization of a parent to give (yes – give) a child a better and wiser confidence in choices. Zechariah, what a heart he must have had, realizes that the people are enabled to serve without fear because the Lord has proven over and over the consequences of stepping out in trust were to find the Lord ready to support and tend.

Then, Zechariah’s attention turned to his son, John, you “will be called a prophet of the Most High;
for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him,” (Luke 1: 76).  John – you are going to be a prophet of God, one who will help prepare people to hear what He has to say.  And then, going on…
 ⁷⁷to give his people the knowledge of salvation
      through the forgiveness of their sins,
 ⁷⁸because of the tender mercy of our God,
      by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven
 ⁷⁹to shine on those living in darkness
      and in the shadow of death,
   to guide our feet into the path of peace."