Doing Things God’s Way

When Gabriel appeared to Zacharias in the Temple and announced that he and Elisabeth would have a son, he also gave the aged priest the name for the boy—John. Nothing about the life of the “man sent from God” (John 1:6) was left to chance, not even his name. God had a detailed plan for John’s life—who his parents would be, how they would raise him, and what his ministry would be. But it was up to Zacharias and Elisabeth to follow that plan, and, as is often the case, they received opposition even from well-meaning friends. 

When it came time to name the baby whose birth was a miracle, friends of the couple objected to the name God had chosen, thinking that the baby should instead be named after his father. Yet John’s parents were wise enough and obedient enough to take a stand, even if it meant breaking cultural norms and even in the face of pressure, to follow the plan of God that had been laid out for them. 

Though it is helpful when we have friends who encourage us to do right, we must be willing to do what God says even if no one else understands or supports us in the effort. The ministry to which John was called was going to require him to have great courage and stand firm even in the face of persecution and eventually death, and he needed this example from his parents.

Today’s Discipleship Principle: There are times when following God’s plan means that we must stand alone, but the rewards of doing right are worth the effort.