“Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people.” —Luke 1:68 ESV
We tend to think of visiting as a brief, lighthearted, and pleasant few days of company. But when God comes to visit, He means business. It means He’s seen what’s going on, He’s concerned about His people’s condition, and He’s coming to do something about it.
In Luke 1, Zechariah recognized the day of divine visitation. Jesus’ birth followed on the heels of a four-hundred-year interval of dark, lonely waiting. And as Zechariah’s eyes were opened to see this new visitation approaching, he opened his mouth in thanksgiving and worship.
Today we await one final visitation of Christ, now two thousand years in coming. (And counting.) But God often delays His visit past the point when people think it’s going to happen. He’s been a long time coming, yes, but “the Lord does not delay his promise, as some understand delay” (2 Pet. 3:9). He will visit again, as sure as He visited at Christmas. And we can be worshiping Him for it now, in anticipation of the sure fulfillment of His promise.
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The First Songs of Christmas: A 31-Day Advent Devotional: Meditations on Luke 1 & 2 ©2018 Revived Hearts Foundation
Scripture taken from The ESV
Make it Personal
Think of an example where you’re waiting for God’s visitation. How different could this season be if you chose worship over impatience?