Luke 1:67-80
Find a place and time free of distractions for the next 7-10 minutes. Take a moment to settle into your surroundings and then begin to recognize your breath. As you breathe in, call on the name of Jesus and become aware of his presence with you. As you breathe out, open your mind and heart to receive whatever Jesus has for you today.
In today’s passage, Luke brings us full circle from Zechariah’s encounter with the Angel Gabriel in the temple to the miraculous fulfillment of Gabriel’s announcement. Read Zechariah’s song of praise in Luke 1:67-80 noting anything that stands out.
Zechariah’s hymn of gratitude ends with these words: “…guide us in the path of peace. But the peace he speaks of means more than simply the absence of conflict. “Peace” (eiréné in the Greek) is the New Testament equivalent of the Hebrew word “shalom.” Shalom peace is harmonious wellbeing for everyone - it’s everything set right the way God originally intended. The path of peace is God’s good and perfect way, and through his obedience and the subsequent restoration of his voice, Zechariah has just gotten a taste of real peace. He cannot help but explode into praise.
Obedience to God doesn’t always result in immediate benefits, but when we obey God we can be assured that we are on the path to peace.
Stop to remember a time when you knew that you had a choice about obeying God. Think about what resulted either from your obedience or your decision to take a path other than the one God had laid out before you. Talk openly with Jesus about this recognizing that God is a God of boundless mercy and restoration – a God of second chances.
Read Luke 1:67-80 again.
Though the first half of Zechariah’s outpouring of praise focuses on relief from enemies, he seems to clearly recognize that the oppression of his people is the result of their failure to follow the path of peace. Zechariah knows that as rebellion against God’s good and perfect way increases, so does the darkness. He exclaims that John will be God’s mouthpiece to tell people how to find salvation through forgiveness for their sins.
We don’t necessarily see the effects of our rebellion in the moment, and even if we continuously return to the path of peace, we are guaranteed to encounter difficulties in this broken world. But when we follow the Savior of whom Zechariah speaks, he will always lead us toward fullness of life just as God intended.
For the remainder of you time in meditation, imagine the “path of peace” opening up before you. Then picture Jesus calling you forward to follow him down the path. Watch what Jesus does and listen to anything he says.
What might might Jesus want you to remember or do today?
Will you?
Subscribe here to receive these guided meditations free by email Monday-Friday each week. If you find these meditations helpful, please forward them to a couple of friends.
The Everyday Jesus Follower’s Guide ebook can help you learn how to recognize God's voice, how to read and understand the Bible, how to develop deep spiritual friendships, and how to become the person you were meant to be. Use it alone, with a friend or in a small group.
