Celebrating the Real Christmas Story 12/16

Today, I am still celebrating the Christmas story.  Today, I am celebrating that Zecharias regained his ability to speak after at least a 9+ month silence.  I remember once I was suppose to be silent for 2 hours at a conference.  My goodness - what a challenge!  After a long silence, Zecharias is praising God and prophesying the future of his son, John.  Zecharias is not bitter, but reveals praises for God and gratitude.  May I praise my savior in the same way.

^{Luke 1:67} Then his father, Zechariah, was filled with the Holy Spirit and gave this prophecy:

⁶⁸ “Praise the Lord, the God of Israel,
    because he has visited and redeemed his people.
⁶⁹ He has sent us a mighty Savior^[g]
    from the royal line of his servant David,
⁷⁰ just as he promised
    through his holy prophets long ago.
⁷¹ Now we will be saved from our enemies
    and from all who hate us.
⁷² He has been merciful to our ancestors
    by remembering his sacred covenant—
⁷³ the covenant he swore with an oath
    to our ancestor Abraham.
⁷⁴ We have been rescued from our enemies
    so we can serve God without fear,
⁷⁵ in holiness and righteousness
    for as long as we live.

⁷⁶ “And you, my little son,
    will be called the prophet of the Most High,
    because you will prepare the way for the Lord.
⁷⁷ You will tell his people how to find salvation
    through forgiveness of their sins.
⁷⁸ Because of God’s tender mercy,
    the morning light from heaven is about to break upon us,^[h]
79 to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
    and to guide us to the path of peace.”

⁸⁰ John grew up and became strong in spirit. And he lived in the wilderness until he began his public ministry to Israel.