What Jesus Did! 'He Has Redeemed His People' — Luke 1:67-75

Saturday, January 21, 2023

Then [John's] father, Zechariah, was filled with the Holy Spirit and gave this prophecy:
"Praise the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has visited and redeemed his people. He has sent us a mighty Savior from the royal line of his servant David, just as he promised through his holy prophets long ago. Now we will be saved from our enemies and from all who hate us. He has been merciful to our ancestors by remembering his sacred covenant — the covenant he swore with an oath to our ancestor Abraham. We have been rescued from our enemies so we can serve God without fear, in holiness and righteousness for as long as we live."

Key Thought

Mary praised God in her youth, from the bottom of her heart, in words steeped in Scripture. [1] Zechariah praised God in his old age, from the bottom of his heart, in words steeped in Scripture. [2] Redemption knows no boundaries of gender or age. Praise can't be confined to an age group. Passion doesn't belong to just the young and Scriptural knowledge to just the old. God's grace is a river that overflows with life-giving water and brings its joy to young and old alike. So let's open our hearts to God's grace. Let's open our minds to his word. Let's praise him for his work of redemption and for his love that brought him to visit his people.
[1] See the What Jesus Did devotional for January 17.
[2] The Old Testament references in Zechariah's prophecy are summarized on the second page here.

Today's Prayer

I praise you, O great God, the Almighty. I praise you for your power exhibited in your creation. I praise you for your patience and faithfulness to your promises. I praise you for your love and sacrifice. I praise you for your power over sin and death. I praise you for being who you are and doing what you do. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Related Scripture Readings

Have thoughts on this devotional? Leave a comment

6 Related Resources by Heartlight

Illustration

Illustration of Luke 1:67-75 NLT — "Praise the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has visited and redeemed his people.

Other Devotionals from Heartlight for Saturday, January 21, 2023

A daily devotional featuring wise counsel found in Scripture.
"For whoever finds me finds life and receives favor from the Lord.But whoever fails to find me harms himself; all who hate me..."
A one-year devotional guide through the book of Acts.
"[Stephen, in his defense before the council, emphasized how the Jewish ancestors had turned against Moses during their time in the Sinai wilderness:]...."
A devotional to help reclaim Jesus as the daily Lord of our lives.
"Dear Seeker of Truth, Believing in My resurrection is a real challenge. That's understandable. Having a friend who dies and then suddenly appears,..."
Features the apostle Paul's writings turned into daily, powerful prayers.
"Dear Father, who sees my heart, Help me to follow the excellent example of the Apostle Paul. Though he had a right to earn his livelihood from his..."

About This Devotional

What Jesus Did! is a series of one-year devotional guides through each gospel, using one short scripture passage each day and following the Gospel in sequential order. Each devotional consists of a scripture passage and a reflection and a prayer which open up the day's scripture and show how it challenges you to live for Jesus.

What Jesus Did! is written by Phil Ware and is available in book form.

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.