Usually, you have a little warning before you hear thunder. A little rain. Some wind. A flash of lightning, perhaps.

But what about those times when thunder catches you completely off guard?

I imagine that’s what it was like for Elizabeth and her husband, Zechariah. With him being a priest, he was used to communicating with God. But, for the most part, the conversation was pretty one-sided. Ever since the time of the Old Testament prophets, God had remained silent.

Until that day in the temple, that is.

Most people think that God broke his long silence when Gabriel appeared to Mary. But we forget, before he brought good news to Mary, Joseph and the shepherds, he spoke to Zechariah first.

After four hundred years of silence. Four hundred years of drought. Four hundred years of nothing.

Thunder.

“Unannounced, an angel of God appeared just to the right of the altar of incense. Zechariah was paralyzed in fear.” (Luke 1:11-12)

In that single moment, God broke his silence, a childless couple received the promise of a son, and the groundwork was laid for a desperate nation to receive its savior.

Thunder, indeed.

However, for Zechariah and Elizabeth, the thunder was personal. Their deepest desire was being fulfilled. After years of trying, years of hoping, years of praying. After years of watching everyone else around her have babies but her, Elizabeth would finally become pregnant.

She probably considered miraculously touched as her ancestor, Sarah, had been generations ago. Blessed after a lifetime of barrenness.

And as if that wasn’t enough, not only would she be pregnant in her old age, but she was guaranteed a son (an extra blessing), and her son would be set apart for a very important purpose even from birth.

Elizabeth’s time had come at last. God was working, and no one could rain on her parade.

Or could they?

Q: What’s been your most dramatic answer to prayer? How did you feel?