” ‘. . . What will this child turn out to be?’ for the hand of the Lord was upon him.” Luke 1:66
The miraculous events of baby John’s conception and birth combined with the prophetic proclamation of his future role in the Kingdom, prompted people to ask, “What will this child turn out to be?” Great Expectations.
That’s not a question with one solid answer. Most likely everyone asking it formed their own opinion about what John should one day look like, act like and do.
What did John’s family, his neighbors and his countrymen imagine? A well-bred, clean-cut, fine young leader for political reform? A great priest in the tradition of his father? A future Pharisee?
I can just about guarantee you that they did not expect a camel-hair-covered, locust-eating, wilderness-dwelling baptizer! I wonder if some shook their pointy heads in disappointment. What a shame. He had so much potential. Maybe his parents were just too old to bring him up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. He’s gone off the deep end. Too radical, controversial.
John was a wild man and unconventional, but he was God’s idea. Filled with the Holy Ghost from conception (Luke 1:15), he was the forerunner; one who prepared the way for The One. He did create quite a stir. Revival broke out in the desert regions as people ventured out to witness the spectacle that was John the Baptizer. Many were drawn to repentance and took the plunge.
Did Zach and Liz live long enough to see their son fulfill the angel’s proclamation or did they die wondering about so many things, confused possibly by the way their boy was turning out? When they heard Gabriel’s description for the very first time, way back at the beginning of their amazing parenting journey, what picture formed in their hearts and minds?
Truly, parenting is the most rewarding as well as the most difficult task I’ve ever been assigned. Gabriel never paid a visit to our place to describe just exactly how God intended to use our offspring, but that didn’t stop us from wondering with each one, “What will this child turn our to be?”. From their earliest of days, we’ve prayed and expected great things in and through them because of our great God.
Each of them is unique. The choices they make, their preferences, the combination of their individual gifts and talents unite to form a frame-work constructing the direction of their lives. Our children belong to the Lord. He has packaged inside each one of them glory that He cannot receive from any other individual on this earth.
Just as it may have been difficult for Zacharias and Elizabeth to anticipate exactly how Gabriel’s message would unfold in the life of their son, it is often challenging for Christ-following parents in today’s modern world to visualize the end product, the culmination of all their disciple-making prayers and efforts.
Parenting forces me to pray. It causes me to communicate with my Father. I beg for His mercy and His sustaining grace.
I’ll just be honest. I’m in over my head! I’ve found that my great expectations are just that – mine. Chances are, God’s plan for my child may look quite a bit different than anything I’ve ever visualized. I’ve got to stay close enough to be led by Him as I lead them so that they don’t conform to my imperfect expectations instead of His perfect plan.
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