God at work

Luke 1:57-66 details the unusual circumstances of the birth of John to Elizabeth and Zechariah (who had been struck mute).  

This, too, is part of the birth narrative of Jesus-- there were remarkable events preceding his birth as well as following it.  When Zechariah confirmed that their son's name would be John, the text notes: "And all of them were amazed."  

But their amazement grew as "immediately [Zechariah's] mouth was opened and his tongue freed, and he began to speak, praising God." 

Amazement turned to fear: "Fear came over all their neighbors, and all these things were talked about throughout the entire hill country of Judea."  

Fear turned to wonderment as "all who heard them pondered them and said, 'What then will this child become?'"  The passage ends with noting the fact: "For indeed, the hand of the Lord was with him."

Amazement.

Fear.

Wonderment.

As John was the one who prepared the way of the Lord, so too, God used the events of his birth to prepare the people for Jesus.  It's like God was causing events to occur in such a way as to lay down tracks of amazement, fear, wonderment.  Then when Jesus came the people could say, "Oh! Yes!  I know these signs!  Amazement.  Fear. Wonderment!  These mean that God is here, that God is at work in our midst."  

I have to admit that at our last session meeting, we had moments of amazement, fear and wonderment at what God has been doing here at FPCB, at how God has so clearly been at work in our midst.  Texts like today's have laid down the tracks for us so that we recognize the signs of God at work.

Where do you see God at work?  Where do you sense amazement, fear, wonderment?