one step: Luke 1.19

And the child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness until the day of his public appearance to Israel.
Luke 1:80

I think I can say with confidence that we have all walked through a wilderness season of life. The wilderness is a place of isolation and obscurity. It’s remote and uninhabited.* Wilderness regions are far and away from powers and influence and the benefits of their oversight.* The wilderness can be a place of great testing. The wilderness is often quite hard.

Have you experienced a season like this?

For John, the wilderness wasn’t an experience. The wilderness was home. It was the place of his development and growth. In this scripture, we see that John became strong in body and in character.* Shockingly, the wilderness was the environment that God chose to grow John.

Maybe your upbringing could be described as a wilderness. Perhaps you have lived your whole life feeling isolated and hidden in obscurity. Though it was hard, know that God was at work even in your wilderness. Though there was pain, God was using it for your good.

After Luke 1:80, we don’t hear about John again until Luke 3:2-3:

during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness. And he went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

The preparation and growth and character-building that God invested in John in the wilderness birthed the greatest message of all time: repentance and forgiveness are possible! The Messiah was coming! The Kingdom of Heaven was at hand!

God wants to give you a word. He wants to put a message in your mouth that will bring others to repentance and forgiveness and relationship with Him. The pain and difficulty of our wildernesses can be used for good. They were used for preparation. Will we, like John, hear God and proclaim"?

Today, take a step.

Maybe today the one step God wants you to take is to view your wilderness journey through God’s preparatory perspective. Perhaps today God wants you to hear His Word and proclaim it. Maybe today God wants you to know that your pain and difficult seasons were not in vain. Perhaps today God is asking you to step out of your isolation and into the presence of others.

Whatever the step, ask God to direct it. Take a moment to take that step. Invite Him to speak. He will.

Life is a long road. Walk it with Jesus.

Feel free to comment at the bottom of this page! We would love to hear from you!

*Bock, D. L. (1994). Luke (Lk 1:76–80). InterVarsity Press.
Garland, D. E. (2012). Luke (pp. 109–110). Zondervan.
Edwards, J. R. (2015). The Gospel according to Luke (D. A. Carson, Ed.; pp. 64–65). William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company; Apollos.
Liefeld, W. L., & Pao, D. W. (2007). Luke. In T. Longman III & D. E. Garland (Eds.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Luke–Acts (Revised Edition) (Vol. 10, p. 72). Zondervan.
Liefeld, W. L., & Pao, D. W. (2007). Luke. In T. Longman III & D. E. Garland (Eds.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Luke–Acts (Revised Edition) (Vol. 10, p. 74). Zondervan.
Bock, D. L. (1994). Luke: 1:1–9:50 (Vol. 1, pp. 194–195). Baker Academic.
Nolland, J. (1989). Luke 1:1–9:20 (Vol. 35A, pp. 90–91). Word, Incorporated.

one step: Luke 1.18

And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High;
    for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,
to give knowledge of salvation to his people
    in the forgiveness of their sins,
because of the tender mercy of our God,
    whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high
to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
    to guide our feet into the way of peace.”
Luke 1:76-79

After his mouth is opened, Zechariah prophesies over his son John. He rightfully proclaims that John will prepare the way of the Lord Jesus.* In a time of political pressures and oppression by the Romans, the temptation was to think that the salvation of the Lord would be one of force and governmental upheaval (something temporary).* However, the words of Zechariah point toward the message of John and the mission of Jesus: the forgiveness of sins (something eternal).*

We must not allow the difficulties of our circumstances to diminish our appreciation of the great works of God’s hand in our lives. It would be easy for those hearing Zechariah to say, “well, that’s all well and good that Jesus wants to take away our sin, but what about the Romans?!” It can be easy in our difficulties to say, “well, thanks for all you’ve done in my life, God, but what about ___________?!”

The acts of God to bring the forgiveness of sin was an act of great mercy.* Sending John to tell them of this work was also a great act of mercy.* God did not send Jesus to do His salvific work in silent secrecy. No, He, in His mercy, told us to look out for it. It’s as if God was saying, “don’t miss it!”

Today, we must know that God is working on our behalf in acts of mercy. Perhaps today this devotional is also His mercy, letting you know that He is working. There are things He’s doing in your life (including the forgiveness of sin) that today He’s saying, “don’t miss it!”

Today, take a step.

Maybe today the one step God wants you to take is to recognize the salvation that He’s given you. Perhaps today He wants you to know that He is working on your behalf. Maybe today God would have you shift your perspective from temporary things to eternal things.

Whatever the step, ask God to direct it. Take a moment to take that step. Invite Him to speak. He will.

Life is a long road. Walk it with Jesus.

Feel free to comment at the bottom of this page! We would love to hear from you!

*Bock, D. L. (1994). Luke (Lk 1:76–80). InterVarsity Press.
Garland, D. E. (2012). Luke (pp. 106–109). Zondervan.
Edwards, J. R. (2015). The Gospel according to Luke (D. A. Carson, Ed.; pp. 61–64). William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company; Apollos.
Liefeld, W. L., & Pao, D. W. (2007). Luke. In T. Longman III & D. E. Garland (Eds.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Luke–Acts (Revised Edition) (Vol. 10, pp. 70–72). Zondervan.
Bock, D. L. (1996). Luke (p. 77). Zondervan Publishing House.
Bock, D. L. (1994). Luke: 1:1–9:50 (Vol. 1, pp. 179–194). Baker Academic.
Nolland, J. (1989). Luke 1:1–9:20 (Vol. 35A, pp. 82–90). Word, Incorporated.

one step: Luke 1.17

And they made signs to his father, inquiring what he wanted him to be called. And he asked for a writing tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” And they all wondered. And immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, blessing God. And fear came on all their neighbors. And all these things were talked about through all the hill country of Judea, and all who heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, “What then will this child be?” For the hand of the Lord was with him.
Luke 1:62-66

Zechariah came into alignment with the will of God for his son: to be named John. When he did, his mouth was opened and his tongue was loosed. This miracle solicited a response from the people present that day. What response do we have when we see miracles in our life?

There is a plague in our society today that assigns extra meaning to ordinary things (conspiracy), and assigns natural meaning to supernatural things (naturalism). It’s far too easy to explain things away when God moves, and it’s tempting to insert our own meaning into every day events to find our own meaning. Chasing after conspiracy threatens to waste our time, distract us from what is real and good, and put fear of all sorts of things in our heart. Assigning speculative meaning to events births fear of the future, fear of death, and more.

When we rob God of the glory of his miracles by explaining them away as natural events, we rob ourselves of something important: the fear of God.

Upon witnessing the miracle of God, those around Zechariah began to fear. Fear what? Fear God. What did this fear of God cause? An understanding that God was up to something big.

All throughout Jewish history the words, “the hand of the Lord was with him,” indicates the active presence of the power of God.* Often, the phrase indicated that God was up to some redemptive work. Their fear of God caused them to understand that God was at work in John’s story, and that the story of God in his life could mean redemption.*

We typically understand the fear of God as something that would cause us to cower and distance ourselves from Him. True, biblical fear of God causes us to press into the purposes and presence of God, not pull away.

What miracle has God done in your life? Did you explain it away? What conspiracies are stealing your attention and causing fear in your life? Are you allowing the fear of God to open your eyes to His redemptive work in your world?

Today, take a step.

Maybe today the one step God wants you to take is to revisit His work in your life. Perhaps today God wants you to fear Him, drawing close to His presence and His purposes. Maybe today God wants you to realize that He is at work in your life. Perhaps God wants you to know that His hand is with you for some redemptive work.

Whatever the step, ask God to direct it. Take a moment to take that step. Invite Him to speak. He will.

Life is a long road. Walk it with Jesus.

Feel free to comment at the bottom of this page! We would love to hear from you!

*Bock, D. L. (1994). Luke (Lk 1:59–66). InterVarsity Press.
Garland, D. E. (2012). Luke (pp. 105–106). Zondervan.
Edwards, J. R. (2015). The Gospel according to Luke (D. A. Carson, Ed.; p. 60). William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company; Apollos.
Liefeld, W. L., & Pao, D. W. (2007). Luke. In T. Longman III & D. E. Garland (Eds.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Luke–Acts (Revised Edition) (Vol. 10, p. 68). Zondervan.
Bock, D. L. (1996). Luke (p. 75). Zondervan Publishing House.
Bock, D. L. (1994). Luke: 1:1–9:50 (Vol. 1, pp. 169–170). Baker Academic.
Nolland, J. (1989). Luke 1:1–9:20 (Vol. 35A, p. 80). Word, Incorporated.

one step: Luke 1.16

Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son. And her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her. And on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child. And they would have called him Zechariah after his father, but his mother answered, “No; he shall be called John.” And they said to her, “None of your relatives is called by this name.” And they made signs to his father, inquiring what he wanted him to be called. And he asked for a writing tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” And they all wondered.
Luke 1:57-63

When the time of naming the son of Elizabeth and Zechariah came, Zechariah was still unable to speak, and according to the signing required to communicate with him, he was unable to hear as well (a condition brought on by his unbelief - see Luke 1:20).* In this state of unawareness, Zechariah didn’t notice the desire of the family and friends around him to name his son after him.*

In Jewish culture at the time, it was tradition to name a son after a father or a grandfather.* This was especially true when the father was a person of great esteem, as was the case with Zechariah.* It was natural for those gathered to assume that the baby’s name would be Zechariah. They assumed that they understood his legacy. According to one scholar, however, they took one step beyond assuming.

According to George Garland, the original language, unlike the english translations that are common to us, indicates that they were actually actively referring to the baby as “Zechariah.”* Meaning, while Zechariah couldn’t speak or hear, everyone was calling the baby, “Zechariah.” Leaning on tradition, everyone had decided the outcome.

Elizabeth thought differently.

The Bible doesn’t indicate how Elizabeth knew that the baby’s name was to be John, but not however she knew, she spoke up against the traditions of her culture and popular thinking to hold fast to God’s Word. The name “John” was not an uncommon name for priests, and because his naming was directly from God, to reject the name meant rejecting his destiny.* This was something that Elizabeth and Zechariah would not do.

When tradition and popular thinking go against what God has said, what will we do? When everyone around us has decided the outcome, will we have the boldness to put a stop to it and affirm God’s promise? Will we recognize that the legacy God has for us is anything but natural?

“John” is a shortened form of “Jochanan.”* It means, “God’s gracious gift.”* God has gracious gifts for you and me. Will we stand up for them? Will our own inability to hear and speak keep us from aligning to God’s will?

Today, take a step.

Maybe today the one step God wants you to take is to remember that He has given you gracious gifts. Perhaps today God wants you to stand up against popular thinking or tradition that opposes God’s promises. Maybe today God wants to change your legacy.

Whatever the step, ask God to direct it. Take a moment to take that step. Invite Him to speak. He will.

Life is a long road. Walk it with Jesus.

Feel free to comment at the bottom of this page! We would love to hear from you!

*Bock, D. L. (1994). Luke (Lk 1:59–66). InterVarsity Press.
Garland, D. E. (2012). Luke (pp. 104–105). Zondervan.
Edwards, J. R. (2015). The Gospel according to Luke (D. A. Carson, Ed.; pp. 58–60). William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company; Apollos.
Liefeld, W. L., & Pao, D. W. (2007). Luke. In T. Longman III & D. E. Garland (Eds.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Luke–Acts (Revised Edition) (Vol. 10, p. 68). Zondervan.
Bock, D. L. (1996). Luke (p. 74). Zondervan Publishing House.
Bock, D. L. (1994). Luke: 1:1–9:50 (Vol. 1, pp. 166–167). Baker Academic.
Nolland, J. (1989). Luke 1:1–9:20 (Vol. 35A, pp. 78–79). Word, Incorporated.

one step: Luke 1.15

And Mary remained with her about three months and returned to her home.
Luke 1:56

Have you ever received a promise from God, seen movement toward it, and then everything stalled out? In moments like this, there’s a feeling of excitement and expectancy that sounds like, “Wow! This is really happening!” followed by, well… nothing.

Mary receives the promise of God of the coming Savior, sings a song of rejoicing after the confirmation she receives from Elizabeth, and then she waits. Three months.

Time may fly when you’re having fun, but time does not fly when you are waiting. The forty-five minutes that pass in the first half of your favorite movie seem to fly by. The forty-five minutes that painfully crawl by in the waiting area of the DMV, now that’s another story.

Scripture does not tell us how these three months of remaining with Elizabeth felt. Scripture does not even tell us exactly why Mary waited, nor does it tell us why she decided to return home when she did.* We do know, however, that the promise for Elizabeth and the promise for Mary came to fruition; God did what He said He would do.

God often makes promises to His people, as seen all through Scripture. Maybe God has made a promise to you in your life. How long have you been waiting? Did you see forward motion for a moment, and then find yourself being asked to remain for a while?

In the greater story of Mary, three months really wasn’t long to remain and wait. In the greater story of humanity, three months is a blip in history.

Today, take a step.

Maybe today the one step God wants you to take is to remain. Perhaps today God wants you to remember that your wait for the promise isn’t as long as it feels. Maybe today God wants you to know that He does what He says He will do.

Whatever the step, ask God to direct it. Take a moment to take that step. Invite Him to speak. He will.

Life is a long road. Walk it with Jesus.

Feel free to comment at the bottom of this page! We would love to hear from you!

*Garland, D. E. (2012). Luke (p. 96). Zondervan.
Edwards, J. R. (2015). The Gospel according to Luke (D. A. Carson, Ed.; p. 56). William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company; Apollos.
Bock, D. L. (1994). Luke: 1:1–9:50 (Vol. 1, pp. 160–161). Baker Academic.
Nolland, J. (1989). Luke 1:1–9:20 (Vol. 35A, p. 74, 76–77). Word, Incorporated.