Fourth Gift

'Your wife Elizabeth will bear a son'

Gospel                                      Luke 1:5-25

In the days of Herod, King of Judea,

there was a priest named Zechariah

of the priestly division of Abijah;

his wife was from the daughters of Aaron,

and her name was Elizabeth. 

Both were righteous in the eyes of God,

observing all the commandments

and ordinances of the Lord blamelessly. 

But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren

and both were advanced in years. 

Once when he was serving as priest

in his division’s turn before God,

according to the practice of the priestly service,

he was chosen by lot

to enter the sanctuary of the Lord to burn incense. 

Then, when the whole assembly of the people was praying outside

at the hour of the incense offering,

the angel of the Lord appeared to him,

standing at the right of the altar of incense. 

Zechariah was troubled by what he saw, and fear came upon him. 

But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah,

because your prayer has been heard. 

Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son,

and you shall name him John. 

And 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 will drink neither wine nor strong drink. 

He will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb,

and he will turn many of the children of Israel

to the Lord their God. He will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah

to turn the hearts of fathers toward children

and the disobedient to the understanding of the righteous,

to prepare a people fit for the Lord.” 

Then Zechariah said to the angel,

“How shall I know this? 

For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.” 

And the angel said to him in reply,

“I am Gabriel, who stand before God.

I was sent to speak to you and to announce to you this good news. 

But now you will be speechless and unable to talk

until the day these things take place,

because you did not believe my words,

which will be fulfilled at their proper time.”

Meanwhile the people were waiting for Zechariah

and were amazed that he stayed so long in the sanctuary. 

But when he came out, he was unable to speak to them,

and they realized that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary. 

He was gesturing to them but remained mute.

Then, when his days of ministry were completed, he went home. 

After this time his wife Elizabeth conceived,

and she went into seclusion for five months, saying,

“So has the Lord done for me at a time when he has seen fit

to take away my disgrace before others.”

Season of Waiting

by Anna Mikhaella San Andres

Luke 1:5–25 tells the story of Zechariah and Elizabeth, a couple who had prayed for years for a child. Their longing was deep and their waiting felt endless. Then one day, an angel appeared with a promise that their prayer would be answered. But instead of rejoicing, Zechariah doubted. His disbelief cost him his voice and he was made mute until the promise was fulfilled.

 

And waiting does that to us, it wears us down. It makes us question whether our prayers even matter, if our faith is strong enough, and if what we are doing is even right. It can feel like silence from heaven, like nothing is moving. But this passage reminds us of something powerful, that God’s timing always prevails. His plan unfolds in ways we do not expect, and even in our moments of doubt, His grace remains.

I have lived through seasons of waiting that tested everything in me. I remember during the pandemic, I felt like my life was a storm that would not end. My partner lost his job and our business failed. I became the sole breadwinner for two families. There were nights I cried out, “Lord, hindi ko na po talaga kaya.” I felt guilty for doubting, but I was exhausted and afraid. Then a couple of years into the pandemic, it was on my birthday when something changed. My partner got hired and slowly, we began to rebuild. That season taught me resilience, humility, and the truth that surrender is not weakness, it is strength.

Now in my career, I am in another season of uncertainty. I used to find comfort in control, knowing what is next and planning every detail. After more than a decade in my previous role, I transitioned into a new one that feels unfamiliar. I do not have everything figured out and that is hard for me. There are days when I wonder if I am doing enough or if I even belong. Yet, I am learning to let go of the fixed mindset and embrace growth. I now treat every task as an opportunity to learn, even when it feels small. Yes, it is uncomfortable, but it is shaping me in ways I did not expect. I do not know where this will lead me, but I trust that everything will fall into their rightful place at the right time.

Perhaps this is what God is teaching us today. Today, we live in a world obsessed with control. We want to decide everything, know everything, and have it all happen fast. We equate control with safety. But God moves in ways we cannot predict, His timing is better than ours, and His plans are greater than what we imagine. What feels delayed is often preparation for something far more beautiful than we could ever plan.

So if you are in a season of waiting, take heart. You are not forgotten, but you are being prepared. Trust the process and His timing. Because when the promise comes, it will be worth every moment you spent wondering if it ever would.

Prayer

Dear Lord, teach me to trust You when I cannot see the way forward. Help me to let go of my need for control and find peace in Your timing. Remind me that waiting is not wasted and that Your plans are always good. Amen.

Gift for Jesus

Trust that everything will happen according to His plan.

   

Anna Mikhaella San Andres considers herself a pilgrim on this earth, walking through life with the hope of helping hearts find their way back to Him, one person at a time. Her prayer is that through her words and experiences, someone will discover hope, faith, and the courage to trust God’s timing.