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Day 3 Luke 1:57 Luke 1:57 Now Elisabeth’s full time came that she should be delivered; and she brought forth a son. 58 And her neighbors and her cousins heard how the Lord had shewed great mercy upon her; and they rejoiced with her. 59 And it came to pass, that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child; and they called him Zacharias, after the name of his father. 60 And his mother answered and said, Not so; but he shall be called John. 61 And they said unto her, There is none of thy kindred that is called by this name. 62 And they made signs to his father, how he would have him called. 63 And he asked for a writing table, and wrote, saying, His name is John. And they marveled all. 64 And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, and praised God. 65 And fear came on all that dwelt round about them: and all these sayings were noised abroad throughout all the hill country of Judaea. 66 And all they that heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, What manner of child shall this be! And the hand of the Lord was with him. 67 And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying, 68 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people, 69 And hath raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David; 70 As he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began: 71 That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us; 72 To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant; 73 The oath which he swore to our father Abraham, 74 That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear, 75 In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life. 76 And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways; 77 To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins, 78 Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us, 79 To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. 80 And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his showing unto Israel. When people have babies, many people come to see the new arrival, getting all the vital statistics from the new parents: weight, length, and coo over him or her telling the parents the child looks like one or the other. When Elisabeth had John, the same thing happened. Everyone came to see the new arrival. They all had their own ideas about what to name him. However, both said his name would be John. Then something happened they weren’t expecting. Zacharias spoke as soon as he wrote out his name, and not only spoke, but prophesied about the life and purpose of his son. As Christians, you know the significance of John’s birth. His birth had also been foretold by the prophet Isaiah. Isaiah 40:3 The voice of him that cries in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. John would be known as John the Baptist, who lived in the wilderness and ate locusts and wild honey, and wore camel’s hair. Matthew 3:3 For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. 4 And the same John had his raiment of camel’s hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey. 5 Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan, (KJV) John 1:6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. 8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. (KJV) Zacharias prophesied John’s purpose when he was eight days old, on the day John was circumcised. John lived his purpose every day of his life. Do you know your purpose? Has anyone prophesied over you or told you what your purpose would be? Most people don’t know what their purpose is, but as you grow, your purpose reveals itself through the things that interest you. Let God bring out the purpose he has for you, as you grow in your faith in him. Let’s pray: Father, thank you for the purpose you gave me, just as you gave purpose and meaning to John’s life. Let your purpose be seen in my life. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen. Copyright © 25 August 2018 by Valerie Routhieaux Image courtesy of Pixabay