Remembering His Covenant
In Zechariah’s Holy Spirit-inspired prophecy, he is giving praise to God by noting that God has not forgotten His promises and has remembered His covenant with His people. Zechariah praises God by celebrating God’s character and steadfast love – that He is fulfilling all He has promised to do!
When we are struggling and waiting, we are tempted to think that God has forgotten us, that He has forgotten His promises and might not pull through for us. This is the moment we must be reminded of God’s steadfast love! Zechariah’s words remind us of all the times God has been faithful in the past and that when He makes a promise, He will keep it. It may not be the way we think He should do it or at the time we would like Him to, but He is faithful and will fulfill His word.
Psalm 77 is an honest prayer. It gives language to what it feels like when we are in tough times and struggling with difficult things. When we are in dark valleys, we can begin to wonder if God has forgotten us or forgotten His word. Has His love ended forever? We know the answer to that question is “No”, yet it expresses an honest feeling. But the psalmist does not end there. He says, “I will remember…”! When our feelings are overwhelming, we are invited to remember: remember what He has done for us, remember what He has done in Christ, and remember what He has done for His people throughout history.
Can you remember a time God has been faithful to you? Can you reflect on God’s faithfulness by sending Jesus for us?
Scriptures
Zechariah’s Prophecy
67 And his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, saying,
68 “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,
for he has visited and redeemed his people
69 and has raised up a horn of salvation for us
in the house of his servant David,
70 as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old,
71 that we should be saved from our enemies
and from the hand of all who hate us;
72 to show the mercy promised to our fathers
and to remember his holy covenant,
73 the oath that he swore to our father Abraham, to grant us
74 that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies,
might serve him without fear,
75 in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.
6 I said, “Let me remember my song in the night;
let me meditate in my heart.”
Then my spirit made a diligent search:
7 “Will the Lord spurn forever,
and never again be favorable?
8 Has his steadfast love forever ceased?
Are his promises at an end for all time?
9 Has God forgotten to be gracious?
Has he in anger shut up his compassion?” Selah
10 Then I said, “I will appeal to this,
to the years of the right hand of the Most High.”
11 I will remember the deeds of the Lord;
yes, I will remember your wonders of old.
12 I will ponder all your work,
and meditate on your mighty deeds.
13 Your way, O God, is holy.
What god is great like our God?
14 You are the God who works wonders;
you have made known your might among the peoples.
15 You with your arm redeemed your people,
the children of Jacob and Joseph. Selah