Luke 1:13-17 – The angel Gabriel foretells the birth of John 

But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will name him John. You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He must never drink wine or strong drink; even before his birth he will be filled with the Holy Spirit. He will turn many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. With the spirit and power of Elijah he will go before him, to turn the hearts of parents to their children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

The simplicity of Gabriel’s words to Zechariah – “your prayer has been heard” – is a refreshing reminder for us in a world where prayer is arguably underrated and overcomplicated. Prayer doesn’t need to be special or fancy, offered at particular times or only for particular things. Prayer is living deliberately with God. It can be a minute of silence, a hasty thanks, an inarticulate “help”. Most importantly though, prayer is a conversation; a two-way exchange with God. For all our words, perhaps the most important thing is to include plenty of time to listen.

Luke 1:8-12 – The angel Gabriel appears to Zechariah 

Once when he was serving as priest before God and his section was on duty, he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and offer incense. Now at the time of the incense offering, the whole assembly of the people was praying outside. Then there appeared to him an angel of the Lord, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. When Zechariah saw him, he was terrified; and fear overwhelmed him.

This has been a deeply fearful year: international tensions have risen on a number of fronts, while domestic terrorism has surged, hurting Toronto communities as well as others in the US and Europe. Depressingly, many politicians around the world seem comfortable with this state of affairs, even inflaming fears to suit their own ends. Yet God sees our fear, and throughout the Bible sends us a consistent message of reassurance: “do not be afraid.” God is with us – may be not physically, as for Zechariah – but God stands by our side each day, as we tackle the challenges in our lives that may make us fearful. God strengthens us and supports us, in our hearts and through those who walk beside us; while the teaching of Jesus encourages us to live positively and confront fear in this life, rather than to be fearful as we approach the next.

Welcome to the 2018 Daily Advent Devotional from Walton United Church. Each day throughout Advent, you’ll receive a short email with a short reading, a reflection and a prayer, aiming to encourage you throughout Advent and help you draw closer to God. This year, we’re exploring the Advent and Nativity story as told in the Gospel of Luke, starting with Luke 1:1-4 – Luke’s introduction to his Gospel.

Luke 1: 1-4

Since many have undertaken to set down an orderly account of the events that have been fulfilled among us, just as they were handed on to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word, I too decided, after investigating everything carefully from the very first, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may know the truth concerning the things about which you have been instructed.

In this arguably post-truth world that we live in, Luke’s careful preparation and diligent efforts act as both reminder and encouragement of the value and power of truth. Moreover, as Luke indicates, God’s truth – embodied in the life and love of Jesus Christ – is not only to be preserved but also treasured and shared. As we progress through Advent, we are challenged to remember that this is not just a time of expectation, but also of affirmation. So as we wait for the birth of our Lord, Jesus, we affirm his saving grace and eternal love – and we accept the challenge of trying to live as a “servant of the word.”