He has dealt mercifully with our ancestors and remembered his holy covenant—the oath that he swore to our father Abraham. —Luke 1:72–73
Zechariah. His name means “God remembers.” The deliverance and salvation that Zechariah celebrated in his hymn went back many centuries, nearly all the way to the beginning of time.
Elizabeth. Her name means “the oath of God.” The “oath” of God—it means something; it stands for something; it tells of a covenant-making and covenant-keeping God.
And then John. He was barely a week old at the time, but his name captures well the theme that Zechariah’s entire song commemorates: “the grace of God.” God’s grace is the reason why all the undergirding faithfulness that flows beneath His oath and covenant is able to blossom into our lives.
How beautiful that God, in His supernatural wisdom and providence, brought together in one family such a linear formation of heavenly truth. May our own families communicate an equally clear gospel message of the liberty and hope He offers . . . from the decorations on the wall to the spiritual DNA in our homes and hearts.
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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 CSB
Make it Personal
How could you symbolize the meanings of your and your family members’ names, tying them to God’s purpose in your lives?