Focus: In The Place Of Duty

Text: Lk.1:8-9

"And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest's office before God in the order of his course, According to the custom of the priest's office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord."

God loves it when we are focused and committed to duty. Jesus Christ, in one of His stories, says, "Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find SO DOING" (Mt.24:46). The Lord longs to find us so doing when He returns the second time for us. It is written concerning Jeroboam, "And the man Jeroboam was a mighty man of valour: and Solomon seeing the young man that HE WAS INDUSTRIOUS, he made him RULER over all the charge of the house of Joseph" (1Kgs.11:28). God rewards and crowns a man of industry with great success. Blessings often flow in the place of duty.

Zachariah was a committed minister, but something was missing in his life. He was childless after many years of marriage. He and his wife were good people and faithful worshippers. Luke says of them, "And they were both righteous before God, WALKING in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord BLAMELESS. And they had NO CHILD, because that Elisabeth was BARREN, and they both were NOW WELL STRICKEN IN YEARS" (Lk.1:6-7). As a godly couple, they prayed to God about their situation constantly and persistently. But it didn't seem to them like God was doing anything about their request. That one singular prayer for a child remained unanswered until they were well advanced in age. Yet, in the midst of their lack and pain, Zachariah's faith in God never waned. He remained committed to duty. He served God faithfully. 

It happened one day that while he was in the place of duty, executing his job, he had a divine encounter. Luke says, "And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense" (Lk.1:11). He experienced an angelic manifestation. Angel Gabriel came all the way from heaven to Zachariah in his place of duty. The angel said to him, "Fear not, Zacharias: FOR THY PRAYER IS HEARD; and thy wife Elisabeth shall BEAR THEE A SON, and thou shalt call his name John." He says further, "I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to SPEAK unto thee, and to SHEW thee these GLAD TIDINGS" (Lk.1:19). Right there in the place of duty the Lord granted his long time request, and blessed him.

Gideon had a similar experience with God. In the place of duty he had a visitor from heaven. The Scripture says, "And there came an angel of the LORD, and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abiezrite: and his son Gideon THRESHED WHEAT by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites" (Judg.6:11). Right there in the place of duty he was called and commissioned to be the deliverer of Israel, even though he did not feel like it or felt qualified to do it.

Do not neglect your duty, nor abandon your duty post. Great blessings await you right there. Take your responsibilities seriously. Heartily discharge your role in life and faithfully attend to your duties; be it moral, spiritual, marital, social, or national duty. Whatever the circumstances, keep being faithful to God and doing your job!

Avoid a situation where God comes to meet with you, and you are nowhere to be found, like Adam and Eve! Adam went to hide when he heard the voice of his creator in the garden. He was not at the post of duty. One French proverb says that God often visits, but we are not always around to meet with Him.

Don't be discouraged; your job will pay off one day. God will meet you in the place of duty and meet your need right there. Amen!

by Bishop Moses E. Peter