Do you ever just stand there with your mouth hanging open, and don’t know what to say?! Maybe it was a very good thing, or a very bad thing, or a surprise (which can be good –an unexpected check in the mail– or bad–a flat tire!).
Zechariah prayed for a son. Years later, when Gabriel showed up and told him that his prayer was going to be answered, he replied with unbelief. “How can this be, since I am old and my wife is old?”
Gabriel said, “I was sent to speak to you and bring you this good news. But you will be silent and unable to speak until the these things take place, because you did not believe my words..”
Zechariah was John the Baptist’s father. The bible says that he and his wife, Elizabeth, were righteous before God. Yet even Zechariah had trouble believing that his prayers would be answered.
His mouth was shut so that he could not speak unbelief. This is a reminder to us that our words have power, for good or evil, and we need to think before we speak.
Zechariah was able to speak again eight days after John was born, on the day he was dedicated to the Lord. “His name is John,” he said. He got his “voice” back.
{This story is found in Luke, Chapter 1.}
SueAnn Porter 