J.C. Ryle's Devotional Thoughts on the Gospel of Luke
Section 9
The Birth of John the Baptist
Luke 1, verses 57-66

Now Elizabeth's full time came that she should be delivered, and she brought forth a son. And her neighbors and her cousins heard how the Lord had showed great mercy upon her, and they rejoiced with her. And it came to pass that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child. And they called him Zacharias, after the name of his father. And his mother answered and said, Not so. But he shall be called John. And they said unto her, There is none of thy kindred that is called by this name. And they made signs to his father how he would have him called. And he asked for a writing-table, and wrote, saying, His name is John. And they marvelled all. And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue loosed, and he spake and praised God. And fear came on all that dwelt round about them. And all these sayings were noised abroad throughout all the hill country of Judea. And all they that heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, What manner of child shall this be? And the hand of the Lord was with him.

We have in this passage the history of a birth. The birth of a burning and shining light in the church. The forerunner of Christ himself, John the Baptist.

The language in which the Holy Spirit describes the event is well worthy of remark It is written that the Lord showed great mercy to Elizabeth. There was mercy in bringing her safely through her time of trial. There was mercy in making her the mother of a living child. Happy are those family circles whose births are viewed in this light as special instances of the mercy of the Lord.

We see in the conduct of Elizabeth's neighbours and cousins a striking example of the kindness we owe one another. It is written that they rejoiced with her. How much more happiness there would be in this evil world if conduct like that of Elizabeth's neighbours and relations were more common. Sympathy in one another's joys and sorrows costs little. And yet it is a grace of most mighty power. Like the oil on the wheels of some large engine, sympathy may seem to be a trifling and unimportant thing, yet in reality it has an immense influence on the comfort and well-working of the whole fabric of society.

A kind word of encouragement or consolation is seldom forgotten. The heart that is chilled by affliction is peculiarly susceptible, and sympathy to such a heart is often more precious than gold. The servant of Christ will do well to remember this grace of sympathy. It seems to be such a small thing, and amid the din of controversy and the battle about mighty doctrines, we're sadly apt to overlook it. Yet it is one of those ornaments of the Christian character which make it beautiful in the eyes of men. Let us not forget that it is enforced upon us by special precept, rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep. Romans chapter 12 verse 15.

The practice of sympathy seems to bring down a special blessing. The Jews who came to comfort Mary and Martha at Bethany saw the greatest miracle that Jesus ever worked. Above all, it is commended to us by the most perfect example. Our Lord was ready both to go to a marriage feast and to weep at a grave. John chapter 2 and John chapter 11 Let us be ever ready to go and do likewise.

We see in the conduct of Zachariah in this passage a striking example of the benefit of affliction. He resists the wishes of his relations to call his newborn son after his own name. He clings firmly to the name John, which the angel Gabriel had commanded him to be called. He shows that his nine months' dumbness had not been inflicted on him in vain. He is no longer faithless, but believing. He now believes every word that Gabriel had spoken to him, and every word of his message shall be obeyed.

We need not doubt that the past nine months had been a most profitable time to the soul of Zechariah. He'd learned probably more about his own heart and about God than he ever knew before. His conduct shows it. Correction had proved to be needful instruction. He was ashamed of his unbelief. Like Job, he could say, I have heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you. Like Hezekiah, when the Lord left him, he had found out what was in his heart.

Job chapter 42 verse 5
2nd Chronicles chapter 32 verse 31

let us take heed that affliction does us good just as it did to Zechariah we cannot escape trouble in a sin laden world man is born to trouble as the sparks fly upward

Job chapter 5 verse 7

but in the time of our trouble Let us make earnest prayer that we may hear the rod and him who has appointed it. That we may learn wisdom by the rod and not harden our hearts against God. Sanctified afflictions, says an old divine, are spiritual promotions. The sorrow that humbles us and drives us nearer to God is a blessing and a downright gain. No case is more hopeless than of the man who, in time of affliction, turns his back on God. There is a dreadful mark set against one of the kings of Judah. in his time of trouble King Ahaz became even more unfaithful to the Lord

2nd Chronicles chapter 28 verse 22

We see in the early history of John the Baptist the nature of the blessing that we should desire for all young children. We read that the hand of the Lord was upon him. We're not told distinctly what these words mean We are left to gather their meaning from the promise that went before John before his birth, and the life that John lived all his days. But we need not doubt that the hand of the Lord was with John to sanctify and renew his heart, to teach and fit him for his office, to strengthen him for all his work as the forerunner of the Lamb of God, to encourage him in all his bold denunciation of men's sins, and to comfort him in his last hours when he was beheaded in prison.

We know that he was filled with the Holy Spirit from his mother's womb We need not doubt that from his earliest years the grace of the Holy Spirit appeared in his ways. In his boyhood, as well as in his manhood, the constraining power of a mighty principle from above appeared in him. That power was the hand of the Lord.

This is the portion that we ought to seek for our children. It is the best portion and the happiest portion. It is the only portion that can never be lost and will endure beyond the grave. It is good to have over them the hand of teachers and instructors, but it is better still to have the hand of the Lord over them. We may be thankful if they obtain the patronage of the great and the rich, but we ought to care far more for their obtaining the favor of God. The hand of the Lord is a thousand times better than the hand of Herod. The one is weak, foolish, and uncertain, caressing today and beheading tomorrow. The other is almighty, all-wise, and unchangeable. Where it holds, it holds forevermore.

let us bless God that the Lord never changes what he was in John the Baptist's day he is now what he did for the son of Zechariah he can do for our boys and girls but he waits to be entreated if we would have the hand of the Lord with our children we must diligently seek it so so