20 “And behold, you shall be silent and unable to speak until the day when these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their proper time.” Luke 1:18-20. (Emphasis added.)
Yes, we can see and should see just how many have fallen away from the truth. But, we can take hope and courage from the fact that the Lord is their God. Read again Luke 1:16: “And he will turn many of the sons of Israel back to the Lord their God.” (Emphasis added.)
Notice also the contrast between the “I am”s. In the Scripture for today, compare “I am an old man and my wife is advanced in years.” with “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God”. Consider the inference that we should not focus on ourselves (and our inabilities) but rather we should focus on God (and His ability).
Even when we read the dismal spiritual condition of the people of Israel in the Book of Malachi, Malachi starts out with this hope. “I have loved you,” says the LORD. But you say, “How have You loved us?” “Was not Esau Jacob’s brother?” declares the LORD. “Yet I have loved Jacob;” Malachi 1:2. The Lord is the God of Jacob.
Salvation belongs to the LORD. “And He saw that there was no man, And was astonished that there was no one to intercede; Then His own arm brought salvation to Him, And His righteousness upheld Him.” Isaiah 59:16
My testimony is in the tag “About Me”, above here at my Reformed Doctrine blog web set. Click here: About me « Reformed Doctrine Blog
“Although I grew up in the Christian Reformed Church in Muskegon, Michigan, I moved to Florida in 1977 to go to law school, and I stayed here in Florida. I attended and was a member, even a lay leader, in a large range of churches from Assembly of God to Baptist to Calvary Chapel to United Methodist to nondenominational churches and small fellowships. At first, I did not realize that Reformed doctrine would not necessarily be preached in all Christian Protestant churches. I thought that the problem was just with a particular minister. Eventually, a childhood friend, who now lives in Grand Rapids, Michigan, asked me if I remembered “TULIP”. I began to study TULIP. …”
Although I had drifted away from the truth, the Lord was still my God. God used my friend Harry to turn me back the Lord my God with the short and simple question: “Do you remember TULIP?”.
In conclusion, my testimony should give hope and encouragement to all of us. First, we can focus on God. Second, we can remember that although many have drifted away from the truth, the Lord is still their God. Third, salvation belongs to the Lord, and He will often use humble means to do His work within us, sometimes only using a short and simple question.
Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions 