Luke 1:13 (ESV) — But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.

Do you ever feel like your prayers are worthless? Maybe you don’t use very eloquent words, or maybe your mind wanders and drifts everywhere as you speak with God. Sometimes God can feel distant from us because of His sheer greatness and our smallness. This is not an uncommon feeling for believers. Many people struggle with prayer. We sometimes wonder if it matters at all that we pray. We don’t wonder if God is able to hear, from a theological standpoint, but I think many do struggle to think God hears us from a practical standpoint. Is God paying attention to my life?

Our text today gives us some insight into this topic. In Luke 1:13 it says, “But the angel said to him, ‘Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.’” This is Zechariah and Elizabeth, the parents of John the Baptist, the cousin of Jesus. John’s role would be to prepare the way and coming of Jesus. He is only a few months older than Jesus and is very much a part of God’s grand plan of redemption. 

In the passage we read that an angel tells Zechariah that his prayers have been heard. This isn’t the main message of the text, but it is a significant one. Zechariah and Elizabeth have no children. They’ve prayed for a child, we suspect, for many years. Now an angel shows up to tell them that their prayers have not been in vain. God has heard them. He’s always heard them. But now the timing is right to answer them, and give them what they’ve prayed for. 

In our lives, we can trust the same thing. God hears our prayers. Through our faith in Jesus Christ, our sins are forgiven, giving us access to God in prayer. He hears us. The answer to our prayers, and the provision we’ve asked for, may not come in the timing we desire. But we trust His wisdom for the timing of answering our prayers. Keep praying. You have His ear.

Reflection & Journal: 
- Why is it significant that the angel says God has heard their prayers in connection with the message he’s delivering to them?
- What are examples in your life of God answering prayers?
- What things do you need to take to God right now, since you know He hears you?

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