Hidden away in Zechariah’s song is a wonderful truth. He pondered all that the angel had told him for nine silent months. He searched Malachi since that was the text the angel referred to, but surely he had time to enjoy the rest of the Old Testament too. And when it all finally came out, Zechariah was gripped by God’s faithfulness, God’s rescue, and God’s transformative work in the lives of those He rescues.

Too often we give God half credit for salvation, but inadvertently try to take our part of the credit for the efforts at transformation. Christmas gets awkward when we only half receive a gift.  “Thank you so much, but here’s mine to you!”  The good news is that we, in our total bankruptcy, are invited to receive from an ever-abundant and generous God!