Reasonable Disinclination

Luke records that in the sixth month of pregnancy, the wife of Zachariah a priestly descendant of Aaron, Elizabeth also a direct descendant of Aaron, said to her relative Mary who was a pregnant virgin! "You are blessed, because you believed that the Lord would do what he said."

God calls it unbelief. I call it a reasonable disinclination to trust at this time.

Hey if God said it I would believe it. Who wouldn’t believe it if God said it? Me. But I am not alone admitting that, Elizabeth admitted it for her husband. Zachariah was a godly man, served God in the temple, did his duty, prayed and burned incense.

I love the strange sense of detail in the bible, the angel of the Lord appeared "standing to the right of the incense altar."

Years later I can hear Zachariah still rehearsing the event, "It was amazing, Gabriel was standing right over there, in that exact spot, just to the right of the incense altar." But for nine long months Zach didn’t get to say a word about it. He would live with the proof God was doing something great but he wouldn’t get the joy of telling the miracle story.

For nine months Zachariah’s mouth was shut up for not having the faith to believe God’s promise. For nine months Elizabeth’s womb that had been shut up was filled up with God’s promise. Like Zachariah, I carry with me the consequence of not putting faith where it belongs. I call it "reasonable disinclination."

When faith is a demand too much, I am disinclined to move forward in faith. I refuse to believe on the grounds that reasonable evidence warranting such an expectation in this circumstance is not evident at this time. Are you impressed? God is not. The Bible says without faith it is impossible to please God (Heb.1:6).

That is Z’s thing. He is a good, reasonable person willing to believe in God and even serve God when his turn in the rotation calls. But the idea that Elizabeth would really have a child now at her age, after all the failed expectations and disappointments barrenness had left, well any such expectation would be unreasonable.

What God asks me to believe is different. My wording might sound more high and mighty but the withholding of faith sounds similar to Zach’s. Therefore, Lord God merciful and mighty, on the grounds that such expectation are likely to go unmet and prove a disappointment for all, I am humbly disinclined to trust what you say until further evidential proof is forthcoming. Sincerely your obedient servant, Art.

Haven’t you been there? Old Zachariah, dutiful husband is even praying for Elizabeth to have a baby. The prayer seems more a habit that had not yet died because there was no faith in it, no real hope. There was no expectation that God might **** whamo**** answer! Then God did. "I tell you the angel Gabriel was standing right there - not ten feet away just to the right of the incense altar!" Gabriel says to me, "God has heard your prayer, and your wife, Elizabeth, will bear you a son! And you are to name him John."

Well the story goes that because Z offered the reasonable disinclination defense, he was muted till eight days after the birth of his son. Then in the presence of the undeniable prove of God’s word Zachariah declared the truth of God as he "motioned for a writing tablet, and to everyone's surprise he wrote, ‘His name is John!’" Easy to have faith now eh? But that is not faith. That is living with the proof that was promised.

Look at this. Elizabeth lived for nine months with the proof of God’s promise. She got the great joy of sharing the wonder and the praise of the miracles of God with Mary at that time "impossibly pregnant" with the Son of God. Zach on the other hand, lived for nine months with the consequence of not living by faith in what God promised.

For nine months Elizabeth was miraculously growing a new life insider her. For nine months Zachariah knew the word of God was good. For nine months he, a righteous man by all accounts knew he had been unrighteous in the one area that exceeded righteous living, the arena of faith. For nine months Zach was denied the ability to proclaim the miracle of God’s answer.

Listen, this is what happens when we live without real faith. We live without the praise of God on our lips. God still does what God said. Lizzy still had a son, proof God’s promise is good. You and I live with less joy, less wonder of God and less praise and thankfulness when we fail to live in an expectant, faith relationship with God. Life goes on. God does what God does.

The proof of God’s goodness is there everyday just like it was every day for nine months in Zach and Elizabeth’s life. If we don’t lean forward in faith we miss the wonder and joy of declaring God’s glory for the miracles in our life. You are the living proof of God’s love. It comes your way every day. You can live by faith and declare it. Or you can offer the reasonable disinclination defense and live a muted life.

I like the way the Message has Paul talking about Abraham’s faith when, well too old he and Sarah would have a son. [Abraham] didn't tiptoe around God's promise asking cautiously skeptical questions. He plunged into the promise and came up strong, ready for God, sure that God would make good on what he had said. Romans 4:20-21 (MSG)

You and I can look good and righteous on the outside, doing good things, serving which we ought to do. But there is a failure logged when the good we do simply becomes the routine of things we do rather than being the outflow of a trusting relationship with God. Now don’t get me wrong this is Zach’s big premiere. There were upwards of 20,000 priests. Some never got to burn the incense their whole life. It’s a big time to come into God’s presence and pray.

On the outside Zachariah is leading the national prayer meeting. But on the inside there is no expectation to hear from God. There is no risk that God might intervene and say, "Okay. You got it, just trust me." Zach is praying the prayer prayed many times before but is totally unprepared for a promise from God.

Zachariah had about as much faith that God would give Liz a baby as he did that God would send the Messiah anytime soon. God did both in his family in the same year. Zach’s knew it before anyone, but Ol’ Zach’s lips were sealed tight he couldn’t tell anyone about his great vision till everyone already could see for themselves.

Remember what Elizabeth said to Mary, "You are blessed, because you believed that the Lord would do what he said." I hear a hint of you are so blessed because you believed. Can you hear an, Oye Vey Mary, You’re lucky you don’t have a man. Men, I have been living with Zachariah mute for the last six months because he don’t have faith. Oye! But really a silent man ain’t so bad honey.

Are you prepared for God to answer? Remember what a joy and honor it is to live in a way that we can see the miracle of answered prayer all around us. Giving God glory is a wonderful privilege. Don’t live at home without it. Glad to be with You in the Word. Pastor Art