My favorite Christmas angel story is not when Mary receives her message from an angel. It is the story of Zechariah and his angel visit. Zechariah was an on-call priest for the Temple because his family line traced back to Aaron, the first High Priest. He was called to take incense into the Holy of Holies to present the people's prayers to God. What Zechariah didn't understand was that God would single out his long unanswered prayer.
"Your prayer has been answered," the mysterious visitor announced to Zechariah.
Here is my question about this exceptional moment: If it had been me, would I know which prayer had been answered?
One thing is true about the Christmas season: it brings long-held prayers to the surface. I call them "December Prayers." They are the prayers we carry long enough to believe they will not be answered as we wanted. Many times, we simply stop praying them.
I wonder if that's why Zechariah did not respond with immediate joy to the angel's message. Did he realize that the one prayer he and his wife, Elizabeth, had prayed for and stopped expecting an answer was the one God meant?
The angel cleared up all questions: "Your wife, Elizabeth, will bear a son."
There it was. God was giving them their heart's desire, but not just because of their desire. There was a bigger answer here, and it involved more than Zechariah and Elizabeth. Their son would prepare the way for the Messiah.
Here's what I learn from this Christmas story not told nearly enough:
God never forgets what we pray.
No immediate answer doesn't always mean no.. It may simply mean to keep praying.
Answered prayer is not just a way to get what we want. Answered prayer always has a bigger mission, for growth, for reconciliation, for salvation, for God's mission on this earth.
Each Christmas we stand where Zechariah stood, in the very presence of the God who came to dwell with us. As we recognize how He is our first answer to any prayer we pray from January to December, we become eager participants in God's mission. We pray for God's will until His will is our prayer.
Then, maybe we will begin to see God's kingdom come to earth as it is in Heaven.
For a daily calendar guide to the December prayers of Zechariah, Mary, Simeon, and John the Revelator, click below for your free download: