Elizabeth’s story is told in Luke 1:5–80.
Remained faithful to God despite apparent lack of God’s blessings
Luke 1:6 Zechariah and Elizabeth were righteous in God’s eyes, careful to obey all of the Lord’s commandments and regulations. 7They had no children because Elizabeth was barren, and now they were both very old.
In societies like Israel, in which a woman’s value was largely measured by her ability to bear children, to be without children often led to personal hardship and public shame. For Elizabeth, a childless old age was a painful and lonely time but during which she remained faithful to God.
Some people are faithful to God because they want God to bless them. And when God’s blessings do not seem apparent, they wonder why they bother being so faithful.
There is nothing wrong with expecting God’s blessings when we are faithful to God. The Bible promises that. But it is wrong to serve God only because we want His blessings. We must be faithful to God and obey His commandments because we love Him and do not want our relationship with Him to be affected by sin.
We need to follow the example of Elizabeth. Even though her whole community thinks that God is not blessing her because she does not have children, she remained faithful to God and in the end God honored that faithfulness and gave her a son who is the forerunner of the Son of God!
Believed God for the impossible
I believe that Elizabeth did not doubt God when she heard that she would have a child even at her old age. This is because Zechariah was punished by his lack of faith and I think Elizabeth would be too if she had also disbelieved.
Luke 1:13 But the angel said, “Don’t be afraid, Zechariah! For God has heard your prayer, and your wife, Elizabeth, will bear you a son! And you are to name him John. ….18 Zechariah said to the angel, “How can I know this will happen? I’m an old man now, and my wife is also well along in years.” 19 Then the angel said, “…And now, since you didn’t believe what I said, you won’t be able to speak until the child is born…”
Elizabeth could believe in God for the impossible. She did not restrict God to the natural.
Is there a difficult situation that you are faced with right now? Have faith that God will work the impossible in your situation.
Insisted on God’s plan for child
Luke 1:3 But the angel said, “Don’t be afraid, Zechariah! For God has heard your prayer, and your wife, Elizabeth, will bear you a son! And you are to name him John…. 59 When the baby was eight days old, all the relatives and friends came for the circumcision ceremony. They wanted to name him Zechariah, after his father. 60But Elizabeth said, “No! His name is John!” 61″What?” they exclaimed. “There is no one in all your family by that name.”
Elizabeth wanted one thing for her son that all parents should want – God’s will for their lives. Despite pressure from her family she wanted to name her son the name that God had given her.
As parents do you want your will for them or do you want God’s will for them? If God so called your son to go into full time ministry, would you agree and even give your blessings?