"For he will be great in the sight of the Lord and will never drink wine or beer. 

He will be filled with the Holy Spirit while still in his mother's womb.

He will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God.

And he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of fathers to their children, and the disobedient to the understanding of the righteous, to make ready for the Lord a prepared people."

Luke 1:15-17 CSB

The angel Gabriel is telling Zechariah about his future son's.

How to bring him up: the discipline of no alcohol.

God will already be with him from the womb.

He's got a massive task ahead because Gabriel is bringing a stinging indictment on God's people here;

They've turned away from God and need to turn back.

They're not living in line with God's instruction for people's flourishing, and a key way that is found is that they have become selfish; 

Gabriel's task for John is to turn the hearts of fathers to their children. 

God's people have got distracted, pulled away from what's really important, they aren't treating the small and vulnerable with the care that God has called them to. 

I wonder who those are in my orbit this Christmas, those who I am not seeing as God sees them.

Gabriel said things need to shift in the culture, the community, the hearts and lives of God's people.

I wonder what Gabriel would say to us beloved?

#christmas2023

#Godsheartforthesmall

#lovepeople