Zechariah and Elizabeth were righteous in God’s eyes. They served God. Yet, though they prayed for a son, they did not have one, even into old age. Why do bad things happen in righteous people’s lives, especially things that they have little or no control over?
One is discipline and training. Another is to prove our love for God. God is looking for someone to have a mutual love relationship with. He is willing to shower love on anyone.
Yet how does he, us, and others know that we love God? If we obey his commands and trust in him we can reciprocate God’s love for us back to him. What do we have to give God except trust and obey?
Adam and Eve failed in these two things. They did not obey his command not to eat the fruit and they did not trust in God’s love and blessing.
In everyone’s life comes times of testing our love for him. Noah’s test was in building the ark. Abraham’s test was patience and being willing to sacrifice the son he loved. Job’s test was the troubles that came to his life. Zechariah and Elizabeth’s test was to wait for a son till it seems impossible.
We should not be surprised when bad things happen to those who are seeking God and his kingdom. We should thank God.
Jesus taught, “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” (Matthew 5:11-12)
When the disciples asked Jesus why a man was born blind he told them, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.” (John 9:3)
