It Has To Be You

“And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren. For with God nothing shall be impossible.” (Lu 1:36-37 AV)

There were plenty of holy priests to use as a father to the prophet that would precede Christ.  No doubt, Zacharias and Elizabeth were as devout and righteous as others.  Yet, there was one factor they had that others did not.  The element of impossibility.   The LORD deliberately kept Elizabeth from conceiving all her life so that at the right moment, she and her husband could be a work of God’s grace and miracle as a sign for a virgin who would conceive the Savior of the world.  The fruitlessness of these two were a work of the Holy Spirit!

When the Spirit encouraged me to entertain the other possibilities, they just wouldn’t do.  A couple in their thirties conceiving John the Baptist would not do.  There would be nothing out of the ordinary at the conception and birth of a son to a younger couple.  A newlywed couple certainly wouldn’t do.  They would be expected to be expecting.  Even though each conception is the hand of a God who still creates; a miracle in its own right; this sort of thing happens every day.  But when a couple in their old age and beyond the age of conception, conceive, this doesn’t happen every day!

“It has to be you” comes to mind.  There is a debate on the sovereignty of God that I often pointless.  Can God use others of those who are chosen refuse?  Obviously.  God uses the Gentiles precisely because the Jews rejected Christ.  Yet, there are times when the LORD allows or causes others to be put in a place where only they could pull off what the LORD wished.  Esther comes to mind.  There are times when it “has to be you” and only you!  God has chosen you for a purpose unique to yourself.  Finding that place brings meaning and purpose.  A joy that follows!  It has to be you!