Seventh Night of Advent (a little late)

End of the first week of Advent. Luke 1:18-25

I am posting this a little late. But as they say, better late than never.
We are still looking at Zecharias and Elizabeth and the message given to them from the angel Gabriel. We now see Zecharias doubtful of what he was told. He doesn't understand how his wife could be pregnant since both of them were of "advanced age". 

 Zacharias said to the angel, “How will I know this for certain? For I am an old man and my wife is advanced in years.” The angel answered and said to him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. 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. Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zacharias, and were wondering at his delay in the temple.  But when he came out, he was unable to speak to them; and they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple; and he kept making signs to them, and remained mute.  When the days of his priestly service were ended, he went back home. After these days Elizabeth his wife became pregnant, and she kept herself in seclusion for five months, saying,“This is the way the Lord has dealt with me in the days when He looked with favor upon me, to take away my disgrace among men.”

Tonight I have  been using Bible.org to look at so I can get a better understanding of what this reading has to say to us. And here's my take of what was stated on Bible.org.

Have you ever had anything happen to you that you thought no one would believe you no matter how long or how well they know you? This is how Zecharias felt. He just stood there thinking, oh man how am I going to explain this one!??! His friends were standing outside the temple while all this was taking place. They wondered why he was taking so long.

When Zecharias finally came out of the temple, he had been stricken mute by the angel for doubting what he was told. His friends are looking at him and he has no way to tell them what he had just witnessed. 

We have all had our moments of doubt. And I'm sure at one time or another we've all had our faith in God tested. Personally, I'm facing multiple problems in my life. I have prayed about it over and over. Things seem to be just getting progressively worse. I have left it in God's hands, but I don't have the time to sit and wait to see if anything happens. 

That's the same as Zechariah felt, in a way. He had prayed and prayed for a son. Eventually he figured it just wasn't in the cards for him and his wife. This was just as it was. When Elizabeth got pregnant, he knew his prayers had been answered.  However, he was afraid to get his hopes up. They had prayed so long and so much. Why now? 

I have an aunt like that. She and my uncle wanted children so badly. But for some reason they were never able to conceive. So they decided to adopt. After the adoption of their second child, she got pregnant! She felt that since they weren't trying to get pregnant, they stopped focusing on it. 

That's sort of how Zechariah and Elizabeth felt. How could this be? But why knock it or question it? This was a gift from God. 

Here is the link to the whole, long explanation to the story: 
https://bible.org/seriespage/lesson-3-problem-doubt-luke-118-25