Praise God!

“But now you will be speechless...” Luke 1:20

When Zechariah was told by an angel in the first chapter of Luke that he and his wife Elizabeth would have a son, Zechariah did not believe because they were both sooo old. The angel said, "Now you will be mute until the promise will be fulfilled." When what the angel foretold took place, Zechariah's tongue was loosened and he started praising God.

With just 6 more days till Christmas, we need to be like Zechariah and spend some quiet time pondering what God has done and is doing for us. We should not take for granted God’s handiwork in our life. Too often, we do just that! God is making sure I am full of thankfulness this Advent and Christmas season! 

After my heart surgery, every little progress I made was a point of rejoicing. The easiest things to do before, bending down to pick up something, climbing the stairs, shampooing my hair, made my oxygen level go low. So all the things I can do now which I did not give any thought to, they are God’s gifts. 

I remember when I was very sick with Pemphigus Vulgaris, and my mouth was filled with sores. I got so thin because I could not eat. I felt so sad I could not eat, talk or sing. Today, I am very grateful that God healed me of that auto immune condition, and I can eat and talk and sing. No more mouth sores! What freedom! Sometimes you have to lose things before you learn to appreciate them. But let us not wait to lose things, abilities, our good health, and especially people, before we thank the generous Lord for them! 

If we spend some time today, counting our blessings too many to count, like Zechariah, we too will praise God! By the time Christmas comes around, we will have the true joy that God promises which does not depend upon shiny gifts under the tree!