But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John. Luke 1:13
Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside. Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John. (NIV Luke 1:8-13)
At the time that Zechariah was visited by the angel, there were thousands of priests in Israel. His experience was literally a once in a lifetime opportunity – (because there were so many priests, it was not allowed for a priest to burn incense in the temple more than once in his lifetime). God had thousands of men to choose from and yet Zechariah was singled out to be the father of the forerunner to Jesus Christ!
What have you been singled out to do? Why did God create you? What is He calling you to do that only you can fulfill? If you don’t know. . . why not ask Him? God wants to use you in a powerful way to expand His Kingdom!
