If you were unable to speak to be heard for almost a year, then one day you suddenly could speak again”¦what would your first words be?

Would your words tumble out of a store-house of bitterness, or of condemnation, or would they be words of joy ““ that you had regained your freedom to speak?

What were the circumstances that loosed the tongue of Zacharias who had been mute for about a year? His first words revealed his thoughts that had been stored up all that time”¦what were they?

(NASB) Luke 1:63-64 “And he (Zacharias) asked for a tablet and wrote as follows, “˜His name is John.”™ And they were all astonished.

64 And at once his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he began to speak in praise of God.”

Immediately Zacharias could speak when he named his son John as the messenger from God had told him.

Praises were the first words out of his mouth. His heart was full of praise, his mind-set was on the living God.

When hard things occur in your life and mine, how do we often respond? Is it with “˜poor me”™ or “˜I”™m a victim”™, or is it with praise to God Who is with us?

No one”™s life is a smooth road”¦it has curves, it has bumps, it has hills and valleys, it often has rough riding. One of Jesus”™ names is Immanuel which means God with us. That is God”™s promise to His children”¦He is with us on this road of life. No one is exempt from the unfairness in life; but for followers of Christ, those who live according to the word of God, we can rejoice and praise God because we are never alone.

Difficult circumstances ““ pain-filled days and nights ““ loneliness ““ worry over whatever weighs you down ““ these are the things that God may use to get our attention onto Himself.

This is a test: is your glass half-empty? Or is your glass half-full? Zacharias saw his glass as half-full. He was not an Eeyore (remember the depressed and defeated donkey in Winnie-the-Pooh?) Zacharias was a man filled with praise to his God.

For what will you now praise God?