Luke 1:25 “How kind the Lord is!” she(Elizabeth) exclaimed. “He has taken away my disgrace of having no children.”
Faithfulness and integrity yields a double portion blessing. Our faithfulness to the Lord is measured by our consistency in our walk with God. Consistency, integrity and faithfulness make room for times-two blessings. The integrous do not compromise their values and veracity for anything. Both faithfulness and integrity will be tested by our tenacity during tough times. Tough times don’t last but tough people do and those who stand the test will be rewarded with double portion blessing.
Zachariah and his wife Elizabeth were descendants of the priestly family of Aaron. Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commands and decrees blamelessly (vs 6). They were righteous and blameless, but childless. They were serving God faithfully yet suffered the pain of barrenness. Both of them were advanced in age and would have given up praying for a baby after they crossed the childbearing age. But they were childless because Elizabeth was not able to conceive, and they were both very old (vs 7). Their faith and faithfulness was rewarded.
When we are ‘Infant Christians’ prayers would seem to travel swiftly and bring back the answer quickly but as we mature, we will notice that the Lord God will teach us the art of waiting patiently. It is in the ‘waiting’ that our faith and our faithfulness are tested. Our faith will make us righteous and our faithfulness will keep us blameless and integrous. The elderly priests Zachariah and Elizabeth were not just blessed with a child but a prophet, John the Baptist. The child in the womb of Elizabeth was anointed with the Holy Spirit even before he was born. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit (vs 41). The reward of growing in faith and serving the Lord tenaciously faithfully and blamelessly, yields double portion blessing.
Times-Two:
1. Faith: Faith does not just believe that God will fulfill our heart’s desire but trusts that even if things don’t go our way, He is still in control. Overcoming our feelings and growing in faith yields times-two rewards.
2. Faithful: Faithfulness is tested and measured when no one is watching us. Serving in obscurity and trusting God in the extremity is the true measure of faithfulness.
3. Fruitful: The Lord rewarded the faithful couple with a son who will never be forgotten. John the Baptist, the second cousin of Jesus was the forerunner who prepared the way for the Messiah. Jesus testified about John the Baptist as the greatest of all prophets. Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist (Matthew 11:11). The reward for integrity, faithfulness and unshakable faith is ‘fruitfulness’.
Faith and faithfulness yields times-two rewards and blessings.
Luke 1:44 As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.
Prayer: Father in Heaven, make me steadfast and tenacious in my faith and faithfulness. I want to yield fruits, much fruits that will leave a lasting impact. Amen.
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