A Prayer About God’s Irrepressible Goodness
“Ask the Lord your God for a sign, whether in the deepest depths or in the highest heights.” But Ahaz said, “I will not ask; I will not put the Lord to the test.” Then Isaiah said, “Hear now, you house of David! Is it not enough to try the patience of men? Will you try the patience of my God also? Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. Isa 7:11-14
Heavenly Father, the more often and the more carefully I read your Word the more I realize how little of your goodness and grace I actually get. A name and a promise that’s so precious to me, Immanuel, wasn’t given as a reward for faithfulness, but in full view unfaithfulness, unbelief and unrighteousness. What a God you are! What a story you’re telling! What a gospel you’ve given us in Jesus!
It was a time of local and international crisis, and King Ahaz had every opportunity to repent and rely on you. You sent Isaiah with words of wisdom and hope. But he refused. Feigning piety, King Ahaz remained addicted to his illusion of control and self-sufficiency…
Oh Father, even as I remember his story and pray these words, I realize how much I’m like King Ahaz. Too often I go through the motions of acknowledging you, but on the inside I’m far more resolved to trust in me than in you. So I throw no stones today at a wicked king. Rather, I grieve my own illusion of control and self-sufficiency…
That’s why the name and promise of Immanuel is so precious to me, Father. You’ve proven yourself to be not only a God who is with me in Jesus, but a God who is so very, very for me. Indeed, your love for us in the gospel is not only unconditional, it’s contra-conditional. For you’ve met every condition necessary to fulfill your irrepressible commitment to redeem your pan-national people and restore your broken creation. What a God you are! What a story you’re telling! What a gospel you’ve given us in Jesus!
So, King Jesus, though I don’t have the Assyrian army outside my door threatening my existence, I do have no small number of challenges in front of me this Advent season. By faith through grace, I purpose to rely on you for gospel-sanity and strength, just as much as I rely on your for my forgiveness and my righteousness. You are with me and your are for me, and that is enough. So very Amen, I pray, in your precious name.
