Ask a sign of the Lord your God, Ahaz; let it be huge—as deep as Sheol or high as heaven.” But Ahaz arrogantly responded, “Nah, I won’t test the Lord.” Isaiah responded with redemptive irritation, “Really? You’ll weary men, but dare weary God also? So without you asking God will give a sign—as an utter rebuke to your insolence. A virgin will conceive and have a son named Immanuel—which means, God is with and for his people.” Paraphrase of Isaiah 7:11-14
Heavenly Father, the season of Advent highlights—with neon blinking lights, your measureless mercy and mind-blowing generosity. But it also highlights the insanity of sin and 100% insufficiency of self-sufficiency, The promise of Immanuel came to one of Israel’s worse kings—Ahaz. Feigning piety, he “passed” on your offer preferring his illusion of control and addiction to power.
That’s why the promise of Immanuel is so precious to me. Like Ahaz, in much of life, I have wanted to be my own deliverer—or have you bring deliverance on my terms. It’s hard to own just how powerless and hopeless we are apart from you, Abba—but that is the first, second, fifteenth step to freedom.
Our need is far worse than we want to own. But your provision and love for us in Jesus is 10,000 times greater than we can hope or imagine. This is true throughout the Christian life—not just how we became a believer, but how we are to live as believers all the way Home. We need your grace not just to get us into to heaven one day, but to get “heaven” into us every day. So, unlike Ahaz, we won’t “feign piety.” We own our need, and we will gladly receive everything you have for us in Jesus. So Very Amen.
