Luke 1:24-25 KJV
24 And after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived, and hid herself five months, saying,
25 Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he looked on me, to take away my reproach among men.

Men have a way of being cruel to those they understand not, Elisabeth and probably even her husband experienced negativity and cruelty of jokes because of her inability to have a child. It happens today as well, but we live in a world it has become common for women to choose not marriage, or even marriage with their main goaled of sharing their life with a spouse with no strings attached of children, because of career choices. They choose monogamy verses the one night stand of the social world, the lover of one man through out his life only to marry again, or even to divorce, to remarry multiple times. Children come it is okay, but if they do not it is fine too. The culture of the world has changed much. Even our Vice President Harris has two children not biologically hers, yet they are hers because they are her family. The world creates their own view of family. No one dictates the word family anymore. What is my point, if Elisabeth been barren in our century no one would of thought a thing about it. However the National Equire would of had a field day that she was pass child bearing years, which means over 55 and was now pregnant. Think for a moment the media circus that developed over multiples and not one thinks anything about multiples now but how many hands does it take to feed them all at one time. The culture is different, so describe not having children is much harder then, then now. Children were often seen as providers in old age, if one did not have but small support in life. There was Social Security from working hard to support oneself, depite what we like to think, if old and your children and family unit did not separate, then there was usually at least one caregiver in the family to support an elderly aunt, uncle, mother or father in old age. Families dealt with the problem themselves, and sometimes neighbors helped the elderly. However healthwise it does not appear Zacharias or Elisabeth had any trouble beyond Elisabeth not being able to conceive and she had reach that time in life that said you can no longer have children to discover she was now pregnant. She hid the pregnancy five months.

What was Elisabeth thinking? Had Zacharias been able to communicate to her. He may of written a letter to her, depending on the availibility paper. How many times had Elisabeth and Zacharias prayed for a son, we know the prayer was heard. The other day I happened to look up Psalm 121. "the Lord is thy keeper." Zacharias and Elisabeth were righteouse people an no doubt in all their years of being people of faith, they understood the words the Lord is their keeper. They would had struggles we all go through, and yet faith is important because life journey was not made for one that is a chicken, or a scaried cat. Elisabeth no doubt found the right hand of God was upon her and shadow of his hand cover her life for the day she would conceive a child, by natural conception in old age. God had a purpose for Elisabeth life. He perserved her and Zacharias into old age for that purpose. Hind sight is 20/20 or better, but the point being what do we see. Life perserved, life protected by the hand of God for his purpose of bearing a child, under impossible circumstance because of age, at a time when medical doctors were only as knowledgable with what the naked eye could see. They knew nothing of microbiology or macrobiology beyond what God had revealed to man and physicians and today is backed by science.

How many times did Elisabeth behind closed doors cry at what men said about her in the streets and gatherings. How many times had she looked at the hills and prayed for God's help and blessing. How many times in her discomfort of her situation had she long to change her situation and could not. But God moved her reproach from men. Elisabeth came forth out of her cocoon of hidding her pregnancy rejoicing, because she carried the forerunner to Christ. We can not imagine what Elisabeth felt when she realized the delay was for a God ordained purpose. Those tears I do not doubt she cried, was no more, her sorrow, her reproach gone for good. Her life purpose plain and clear before the world to see. That belly bump protruding at five months tell the truth of the pregnancy. Some may of doubted if they seen a woman with tumor or something, but the baby would of moved putting aside all doubt the reality of this conception. How many back slaps did Zacharias friends give him. Elisabeth friends all smiling at her.

Dear Heavenly Father, your purpose, your plan is so unique. You put our tears to shame, and the suffering of our reproach to shame before a world who understands not the purpose of faith and waiting for God's timing. Help us Lord to wait on you and wait on your help, and not the help of those who mock. In Jesus precious name, Amen.

Continual Scripture Study: Psalm 121:1-8 KJV
1 A Song of degrees. I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.
2 My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.
3 He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.
4 Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.
5 The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand.
6 The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.
7 The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.
8 The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.