(The following is the March 4 devotional from my Next Step Devotions book. Before reading it, I suggest you read Luke 1 and pay close attention to verses 18-20 and 59-64.)
When the angel Gabriel announced the coming birth of John the Baptist to John’s father, Zechariah, the father doubted. He asked, “How can I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well along in years” (v. 18). Gabriel gave him a sign through a physical rebuke making Zechariah unable to speak until the child was born. Once the baby arrived, and it was time to name him, Zechariah obeyed the angel’s instructions and named the child John (v. 63). “Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue set free, and he began to speak, praising God” (v. 64).
Zechariah could not speak throughout his wife Elizabeth’s entire pregnancy. Imagine the sudden change and difficulties he experienced because of losing his speech. Imagine how your everyday life would change if you suddenly could not speak. Perhaps Zechariah felt like someone bound his tongue in chains. Thankfully, when the birth of John occurred, and Zechariah confirmed that his name would be John, God broke those chains, and Zechariah praised God.
Zechariah must have learned many things during this long silence and the miraculous healing that eventually came. He probably learned never again to doubt the word of God. Receiving his speech back may have also taught him that obedience to God is how we break the chains that bind us.
If we doubt God’s Word and willfully disobey his commands, we are in bondage spiritually and perhaps in other ways due to our rebellion. The only way to break the chains is to treasure Christ and his Word above all and obey him. Doing so will not erase all our problems in this life or all consequences of past disobedience, but it may be the beautiful act of surrender Christ is waiting for to release us from our chains.
Next Step:
What chains currently bind you in your life? Could some relate to your unbelief or disobedience to God? Address such issues through repentance and obedience and see if God removes the chains.
