Do you remember Zacharias the Baptist?

Do you remember the Bible story of Zacharias the Baptist? C'mon you Bible scholars and masters of Bible trivia. (No fair those of you that heard Pastor B's message last Sunday :) )

Of course, a better translation would be Zacharias the Immerser, since the Greek word for baptizer means one who immerses, dips, washes, and such; i.e., an Immerser.

Anyone remember the story? Well, actually it's a trick question of sorts. There really isn't a 'Zacharias the Baptist' in our Bibles, or even in the various writings of history to my knowledge. But there is a John the Immerser (more popularly known as 'John the Baptist'). So why ask you about Zacharias the Immerser? The reason is that John the Immerser's father was named Zacharias, and that he would have been named after his dad had an angel of the Lord not appeared to Zacharias with a special announcement.

But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth.
(Luk 1:13-14)

So it was, on the eighth day, that they came to circumcise the child; and they would have called him by the name of his father, Zacharias. His mother answered and said, "No; he shall be called John." But they said to her, "There is no one among your relatives who is called by this name."
(Luk 1:59-61)

And my point is? My point is that God is at work all around us, and that even names are under His purview. Who knows what aspects of the Christmas story might read a little differently had not God attended to every detail.

Four wise men instead of three (did the Bible say there were three?); shepherds getting word in the morning instead of at night? In their beds, instead of in their fields?

We have a heavenly Father that in the midst of a world tarnished by man's sin, who paints beautiful portraits and landscapes, weaves wonderful tapestries, and blesses us along our way with glorious gifts. As James said, every good and perfect gift is from above.

Do you count your many blessings? Can you name them one by one? Count your many blessings and see what God has done.

We have a great big wonderful God.

Yours in Him,
Pastor B.