“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 ESV)
Filled with the Holy Spirit, Zechariah prophesied that his infant son, John, would be a sanctified tool in the hands of the Lord. As parents, we all dream and hope and expect wonderful futures for our children. Yet, how many of us bless our children with holy utterances that set the course of their futures?
There are all sorts of careers that a child might pursue. One parent may say, “you are going to be a doctor.” Another might say, “You will study to be a lawyer.” Some may even say, “You will be a great actor or entertainer.” Is it possible that our “prophecies” are motivated by a desire for great wealth? And of course, there those parents who say, “You can be whatever you want to be.” Perhaps this issues is more important than we may think. “Train up a child in the way he (she) should go . . .” (Pro. 22:6) exhorts every parent to carefully consider the future of the child.
Our children could enjoy no better reputation than to “be called the prophet of the Most High.” They could do no better work than to “go before the Lord to prepare his ways.” Consider the eternal good they would do “to give knowledge of salvation to his people.” What greater career could anyone have than to bring “forgiveness of their sins” to all people?
This post-modern society needs our children to proclaim “the tender mercy of our God” and point to the one who “gives light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death.” How our world would change if parents would train their babies to be prophets of the Lord that “guides our feet into the way of peace.”
Dear Father, thank you for the “sunrise from on high” who has visited us. Help us to share his light to others during this special season and all year long. This I pray in the name of Jesus. AMEN
Be encouraged today as a child of the Sunrise from on high,