Remembering His Promises: The Father Who Never Forgets
Waiting tests our faith. When life’s circumstances press hard, it’s tempting to feel forgotten by God. The silence can be deafening, and our hearts may echo the psalmist’s lament: “How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?” (Psalm 13:1).
But Mary’s song stands as a reminder: God does not forget His children. The delays are not signs of abandonment but invitations to deeper trust. In Isaiah 49:16, God declares, “Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands.” This vivid image assures us of His constant care and attention. If He remembers every star in the heavens and every sparrow that falls, how much more does He remember you, His beloved?
The Song for Generations: Finding Faith and God’s Mercy in Waiting
Mary’s song celebrates the enduring mercy of God. God is faithful and his faithfulness has never wavered. Even when His people failed, He remained steadfast. The hymn, “Great is Thy faithfulness,” encourages us, “morning by morning new mercies I see” and Lamentations 3:22 declares, “His mercies never end.”
Take a moment to reflect on the mercy you’ve experienced in your life. Wake every morning expecting to find new mercies for the day. These moments are reminders that God’s mercy is not bound by time or circumstance. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
The Sacred Routine
But then, the unexpected happened. Zechariah stood and listened as he had so many times before, but today would be different—the lot fell to him for the most sacred task of all: offering incense in the Holy Place. This once-in-a-lifetime opportunity placed him alone in the Holy Place, standing before the altar of incense, symbolizing the prayers of Israel. It was the moment every priest longed for, yet one many would never experience. What may have seemed like an ordinary day of service must have suddenly felt like a monumental occasion, a testament to the extraordinary ways in which God can work through the ordinary.