Samson...John...Jesus...

~~~ Judges 13:2-7, 24-25A ~~~ Psalm 71 ~~~ Luke 1:5-25 ~~~   

Samson and John...
Both born of barren parents...
Both visited by an angel of the Lord.

Do not be afraid, Zechariah,
because your prayer has been heard... 

When you want something as much as these
 two couples wanted to have a child
each passing day increases the tension.

It would have been understandable
for them to have gotten very frustrated.

God senses their feeling of loss.
Of course when the angel appears to deliver the good news
of their conception they react with fear.

Fear masks joy and smothers happiness.
The angel quickly wipes away their anxieties with
words of answered prayers.
We all want to hear words of answered prayers.

The angel visited Samson's mother giving
 her the glad tidings of her pregnancy.

With John's parents the angel came to his father, Zechariah.

Zechariah spent much of his time inside the temple,
his job was to keep the incense burning.
...he was chosen by lot
to enter the sanctuary of the Lord to burn incense.  

Chosen to enter the sanctuary...a great honor...
but to remain childless was an equally great disappointment.
Two barren wives loved by their husbands
with or without a child.

Samson... 
...grew up and the LORD blessed him;
the Spirit of the LORD stirred him.

When the time is right God comes into our life
 and works miracles beyond our imagination.

Two couples blessed just when they
 had reason to believe their age was against them.

Be not afraid your prayer has been answered.
Blessings overcoming all fears.
~~~Peace~~~