Dispensing With Disgrace

November 8

(Luke 1:23-25 NIV) ““When his time of service was completed, he returned home. {24} After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion. {25} "The Lord has done this for me," she said. "In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people.””

(Genesis 30:22-23 NIV) ““Then God remembered Rachel; he listened to her and opened her womb. {23} She became pregnant and gave birth to a son and said, "God has taken away my disgrace.””

(Ephesians 2:4-9 NIV) “But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, {5} made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions--it is by grace you have been saved. {6} And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, {7} in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. {8} For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- {9} not by works, so that no one can boast.”

When the muted Zechariah finished serving at the temple, he went home, and the angel’s words came to be -- Elizabeth became pregnant. She hid her pregnancy for five months, probably because no one would have believed her until it became obvious. Her words portray a woman who was grateful for God’s grace. She knows God has done her a favor, and gives Him glory for the life growing inside her. There is no complaint about the timing -- only praise for a prayer answered. She echoes the words of an ancient relative, Rachel, and declares that by God’s grace, her disgrace has been taken away. God still dispenses with disgrace today. Jesus will deal with whatever has disgraced us. He can even redeem it for God’s glory. The Lord will dispense with our disgrace and replace it with joy. It is by grace you have been saved. Trust in Christ to dispense with your disgrace. -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day