SolLuna, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son. Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown his great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her.
On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him Zechariah after his father. But his mother said, "No; he is to be called John."
They said to her, "None of your relatives has this name."
Then they began motioning to his father to find out what name he wanted to give him. He asked for a writing tablet and wrote, "His name is John."
And all of them were amazed. Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue freed, and he began to speak, praising God.
Fear came over all their neighbors, and all these things were talked about throughout the entire hill country of Judea. All who heard them pondered them and said, "What then will this child become?"
For, indeed, the hand of the Lord was with him.
It comes time for the muted Zechariah to speak and his words are simple and written:
"His name is John."
The question was on their minds before they uttered it.
John's name was his destiny and his destiny was what evoked the wonder of the friends and family gathered for the occasion.
What will he become?
Zechariah had begun to speak with his voice as it had miraculously returned. His tongue was freed and filled with the praises of God. The hand of God was upon little John the Baptizer.
We have often gathered for baptisms, baby dedications, baby showers, and celebrations of new life.
Nigerians gather the entire community to announce the naming of a new baby child. The parents choose the primary name, but grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins, and community members all chime in as well.
Many people come to help give this child a very long train of names that are actually blessings.
On everyone's mind is the question, "What will this child become?"
This song, "What Child Is This?" is about Jesus, but parts of it may apply to any of us coming into the world with a purpose that is wrapped up in his eternal purpose.
The way John was born and the story of Jesus' birth all compel us to consider that each little boy or girl coming to life in this world is here for a reason.
God chooses this entry point for all of his prophets and for himself.
What Luke annotates in closing the narrative is the key idea of John's life and of ours:
For, indeed, the hand of the Lord was with him.
