“In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, of the division of Abijah. And he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth” (Luke 1:5).
How about that? Elizabeth was a PK – a “pastor’s kid.” At least that’s what we call them now. She was a descendant of Aaron, Moses’ brother, the first priest of Israel serving in the tabernacle. Depending on your experience, you might consider that a privilege or you might bear it as a burden. I sure hope my kids experienced the former.
I think it’s interesting that Luke records this detail. Life can be so different when it is intimately tied to the life of a church or the spiritual life of a nation. People expect a lot of you. People treat you differently. They don’t tell you the good jokes and they often apologize for their language. As if you never said anything like that. They’re always a little intimidated by you, since you’ve got an “in” with God.
Being childless, I don’t think Elizabeth believed she had an “in” with God. Instead she wondered why God had left her and her husband high and dry when it came to children and a future. What good did it do to grow up in a family of priests and marry a priest if you couldn’t have what you most desired, a family?
Because she was from the “daughters of Aaron,” her son would be in line to be a priest, too. I’m sure many envied her for that. Until John grew up and became a radical preacher on the banks of the Jordan, far from the temple. No one ever said it was easy to be a part of the arrival or “advent” of Christ.
Thank you Lord that I have an “in” with you by grace. Amen.
Waite for it... 