I am thinking of a phrase. You’ve read it many times in the Scripture. Perhaps many of us have read so quickly through the passage that we were not struck by this phrase! I was awake in the night and talking with the Lord and thinking about people and situations. Memories took me back to previous ministries with the busyness of the Christmas season.

Then seemingly out of nowhere as I was thinking about Scripture came the special phrase I’m sharing.

“And it came to pass.” I know you have read this phrase. It is found over 400 times in the King James Version of the Bible. “Came to pass” in the New Testament is one word, ginomai (GHIN-om-ahee). This conveys the picture of a situation taking place, of something coming into existence, to happen and even that which appears on the stage!

For the next few days, let’s camp on that phrase just in the area of Scripture that has to do with the events of our precious Savior coming into the world.

“There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth. And they were both righteous before God, walking in 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. 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 in the temple of the Lord. And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense. And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense…The angel said unto 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” (Luke 1:5-13).

What an “And it came to pass” it was for elderly Zacharias! What a mission for his baby boy who would become known as John the Baptist who would prepare the way for the Messiah, Christ Jesus! What great reminders for us.

1. Sometimes even though we are living righteously, the course of our lives is not necessarily what we would choose for ourselves.

2. Always the Lord’s plan is absolutely the best.

3. Consistently we will be wise to obey what the Lord says (read the rest of the story in Luke 1).

Well now, think of this. Our “And it came to pass” will definitely be nowhere as dramatic as it was for Zacharias. But whatever the Lord brings to the stage of our lives today, may we be quick and consistent to obey Him.