The Dawn from Heaven

A Sunday in Lent with Zechariah's Song

Blessed First Sunday in Lent to you. I pray you are able to join in worship with a part of Christ’s Body today. The Sundays in this season are, by design, Sundays in Lent (not of Lent). The Church has said that even while we remember Christ’s suffering and death, the resurrection is still real. And so Sunday is always a day of resurrection. The six Sundays that fall during Lent are not actually counted among the 40 days.

So during Lent, we are going to let Job rest on Sundays and focus on the Lukan passage.

If you’ve been with me for most of this Jesus Daily journey over the last 3+ years, you may remember that today’s passage is one of my favorite overlooked passages. This is particularly so because of the culminating promising hope found at the end of what Zechariah says:

This first leapt out to me several years ago when the church I was leading was beginning a center to come alongside those experiencing the effects of addiction, both individuals and families. It was a bit of a rally cry.

Today, it is deeply meaningful to my own self. And though we’ve left the text of Job aside, his situation at the end of the second chapter is still there - sitting in silence, pain, and anguish. Peace seems so far away.

But that’s the push that Zechariah is making in his prophetic song. It’s a call toward deliverance, resurrection, and the fulfillment of what seem to be unfulfilled promises and expectations, even as Zechariah interweaves statements about the coming Christ and his own son who will lead people to him.

As we worship with Christ’s people today, may we experience such power, hope, and purpose.

Luke 1:67-80

John’s father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied,

“Bless the Lord God of Israel
because he has come to help and has delivered his people.
He has raised up a mighty savior for us in his servant David’s house,
just as he said through the mouths of his holy prophets long ago.
He has brought salvation from our enemies
and from the power of all those who hate us.
He has shown the mercy promised to our ancestors,
and remembered his holy covenant,
the solemn pledge he made to our ancestor Abraham.
He has granted that we would be rescued
from the power of our enemies
so that we could serve him without fear,
in holiness and righteousness in God’s eyes,
for as long as we live.
You, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High,
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way.
You will tell his people how to be saved
through the forgiveness of their sins.
Because of our God’s deep compassion,
the dawn from heaven will break upon us,
to give light to those who are sitting in darkness
and in the shadow of death,
to guide us on the path of peace.”

The child grew up, becoming strong in character. He was in the wilderness until he began his public ministry to Israel.

Sunday Collect Prayer

God of deep compassion,
whose dawn breaks upon those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death:

Visit us with your mercy this day. Turn our fear into trust, our silence into praise, and guide our feet into the path of peace.

That we may serve you without fear, in your holiness and righteousness before you all our days; through Jesus Christ, the rising light who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Amen.