4TH WEEK OF ADVENT

Immediately his mouth was opened, his tongue freed, and he spoke blessing God. 

Do you ever feel like a “DIY Fail”? A DIY (or Do-It-Yourself) Fail is a popular term that describes what happens when you work really hard on a project that you have seen on the internet or TV—but you just can’t make it work. The finished product often looks like a messed-up imitation of the original version you were aiming for.

As a Christian, we may sometimes look at ourselves as DIY Fails. We look at the “perfect” Christians around us and wonder why we make so many mistakes or fall prey to so many temptations.

Don’t be too hard on yourself. You aren’t the first person to feel this way, especially during the rush of the Christmas season! Do you remember when Peter denied Jesus three times before the cock crowed? Or when Thomas doubted that his friends had truly seen Jesus?

Today, we read about another “DIY Fail.” Zechariah was “righteous in the eyes of God” (Luke 1:6). When an angel came to tell him that his prayers had been answered and that his elderly wife would have a child, he doubted. And for his lack of faith, Zechariah lost his ability to speak until the angel’s promise came true—the story we hear in today’s Gospel (Luke 1:57-66).

Isn’t it appropriate that God sent Zechariah’s son, John the Baptist, to convince us that no matter how bad of a “DIY Fail” we become, God will always take us back? God knew that we needed to hear that Christ loves us so much that he will always have mercy on us when we return to him.

With only two days until Christmas, try to break free from whatever failures may be burdening you and keeping you trapped in silence. It’s only natural to have occasions when you fail at trusting or obeying the Lord—as long as you use it as an opportunity to grow closer to him.

When he was freed from the burden of his doubts and unbelief, Zechariah broke into a song of praise. That can happen to you! So place your trust in the coming of Christ. Ask him for forgiveness. Then you’ll be free to praise God for his love and faithfulness.

“Thank you, Lord, for always taking me back, no matter how many times I fail!”

Luke 1:57-66
Malachi 3:1-4, 23-24
Psalm 25:4-5, 8-10, 14

WORD AMONG US