One of the greatest struggles of the Christian faith is not whether God can answer prayer, but when. Luke chapter 1 introduces us to a couple who lived faithfully for decades without seeing the answer to their most fervent prayer. The story of Zacharias and Elizabeth reminds us that God’s delays are not denials, and His timing is always right.
Luke tells us that Zacharias and Elizabeth were “both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless” (Luke 1:6). Yet despite their godly character, they faced a long-standing disappointment: “They had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years” (v. 7).
Their story dismantles a common misconception that unanswered prayer is always the result of disobedience or weak faith. Zacharias and Elizabeth were faithful and obedient, yet God had not answered their continual prayer for a child. For many years, heaven seemed silent. But silence does not equal absence. While Zacharias and Elizabeth waited, God was working behind the scenes. God was incorporating their personal longing into His redemptive plan for the world.
When the angel Gabriel finally appeared to Zacharias while he ministered in the temple, the message was simple yet profound: “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard” (Luke 1:13). Notice the wording: "your prayer," singular. This was not a new request. This was a prayer prayed long ago, perhaps with tears, and maybe even laid aside as impossible. Yet God had heard it all along.
God’s timing did more than give them a child—it gave them a prophet. Their son John would be the forerunner of the Messiah, fulfilling ancient prophecy and preparing the way for the Lord. Gabriel declared that John would be: A joy and gladness (v. 14) Great in the sight of the Lord (v. 15) Filled with the Holy Spirit from the womb (v. 15) One who would “turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God” (v. 16) God delayed His answer because He was aligning it with the perfect moment in salvation history. What felt like waiting was actually divine preparation.
If you are waiting today remember the story of Zacharias and Elizabeth. Their story assures us that God answers prayer in His timing, not ours. When the answer comes, it will be neither late nor small.