Vocare Reflection #3: Luke 1:57-80
Apr 28th 2007Stephen::Theology & Vocare Readings & Discipleship
Luke 1: 57-80
Zechariah, John’s father, sings a great song of hope, a song which has come down to us through the centuries. It is interesting to note that the hope of salvation he speaks of is both spiritual and practical. God will ‘deliver us from our enemies, and from the hand of all who hate us,’ and give his people ‘the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God.’ God wants to work on the external circumstances and the internal brokenness. As we sing our song of hope, we need to sing about the world and our heart, our society and our sin, justice and forgiveness.
As I read this passage, I’m again struck by the weight of the calling which is placed on people in these early stories of Luke. Zechariah is told that his elderly wife is going to have a baby who will announce the salvation of Israel. Mary is called to carry the Son of God, and now Zechariah is placing an enormous weight of expectation on his little baby: ‘You will be called a prophet of the Most High.’ Is it possible that those watching John grow up could have forgotten these words? I think about all the words that are applied throughout the Bible to us – Christians. We are called to be peacemakers, salt and light, to take up our cross, and many other things. If we were born into Christian families, we have to decide, as John must have – am I going to take on these things that are said about me?