His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied: Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come to his people and redeemed them. He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David (as he said through his holy prophets of long ago) (Jeremiah 23:5), salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us – to show mercy to our ancestors and to remember his holy covenant, the oath he swore to our father Abraham; to rescue us from the hand of our enemies; and to enable us to serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness before him all our days. And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him, to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace. Luke 1:67-79.

I read a portion of the above verses in one of my devotionals this morning but couldn’t help but share the whole passage. I couldn’t help but think about Zechariah, father of John the Baptist, speaking at the birth of his son foretold to him by the angel Gabriel. Zechariah and his wife were very old as was Abraham and Sarah and yet God had a plan and His plans stand. 

And the same in our chapter, Job 39. As I read God’s words to Job and his 4 friends I couldn’t help but marvel at the intricacy of all God does. God describes the animals He created and their actions unique to each of them. The wings of the ostrich flap joyfully, though they cannot compare with the wings and feathers of the stork. She lays her eggs on the ground and lets them warm in the sand, unmindful that a foot may crush them, that some wild animal may trample them. She treats her young harshly, as if they were not hers; she cares not that her labor was in vain, for God did not endow her with wisdom or give her a share of good sense. Yet when she spreads her feathers to run, she laughs at horse and rider. v. 14-18. As I read these verses I could see that ostrich and marvel at the design of its body. How different from other birds that are different for other creatures that are unique each in their own way. Think of the blood vessels, the muscles, the feet to support such a huge body, the long neck and even the eyelashes for the eyes! And compare that to tiny sea creatures whose delicate bodies flutter in currents deep in the ocean without being crushed by the weight of the water pressing down on them. We would be crushed at their depths. Is Job aware of every atom, every creature, every need? Are we? 

Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory in the heavens. Through the praise of children and infants you have established a stronghold against your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger. When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them? Psalm 8:1-4. 

God cares for you and me. He is not like us. Can we create one thing…any one thing from nothing? Can we trust that He knows what He is doing? You are my lamp, O Lord; the Lord turns my darkness into light. 2 Samuel 22:29. And in the beautiful light of His love, in our walk with Him, His light pushes away the darkness and we can walk with Him and see what cannot be seen without Him…our God is Love. He guides our feet into the path of His peace and we can walk in safety with Him beside us. I’m learning in my walk with God that I don’t have to be afraid. The world will always provide things to be fearful of, but God’s plan stands. It always has…it always will. Can you imagine what will unfold ahead of us? God does.