Again the LORD spoke to Ahaz, “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 humans? Will you try the patience of my God also? Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. He will be eating curds and honey when he knows enough to reject the wrong and choose the right, for before the boy knows enough to reject the wrong and choose the right, the land of the two kings you dread will be laid waste.

–Isaiah 7.10-16 (NIV)

Today’s passage continues to shed more light on God’s intentions for our relationship with him. It is a continuation of yesterday’s reflection.

We saw yesterday that things which appear hopeless and overwhelming to us are no problem for God. The problem is that more often than not we don’t believe this or trust God to act in our best interests. Instead, we prefer to play God and take matters into our own hands because we think we know better than God what is good and bad for us.

Heh.

In today’s passage, we are again reminded that we need not (and should not) worry or fall into despair when things go terribly wrong because God really is in charge and has promised to be with us in any and every situation. God through the prophet Isaiah tells the evil king Ahaz to ask God for a sign so that Ahaz’s fears will be calmed and his trust in God’s omnipotent and sovereign power will be restored. But good old Ahaz refused.

How wonderfully stupid and human of him!

Never one to be deterred or denied, God proceeds to offer Ahaz a sign anyway. He promises a son, Immanuel, to be born of a virgin. Immanuel means “God with us” and is a powerful reminder to us not to lose hope, even in the most dire of circumstances because God is in charge and is with us always. This, in turn, reminds us that God loves us if we will only let him. That’s not always easy, is it? In fact, it is downright hard!

I can testify to the truth of Immanuel (I know him as Jesus) as can countless other Christians over time and across cultures. In fact, I am right now going through another life-changing event that has shaken my entire household. But instead of falling into fear and despair over what has been thrust upon me, I have chosen to trust God in the midst of this upheaval and I have been rewarded with a sense of calm, joy, and hope. So has my wife.

It has taken me a long time–and I am still not there completely yet–but I am learning to trust in God, to really believe that he knows what is best for me and wants me to have what he wants for me. I don’t always understand how and why God works in the ways that he does, but I trust nevertheless because he is Creator and I am but one of his creatures, and the proof of God’s sovereign power and great love for me is in the pudding of my life.

We can’t learn to swim unless we get into the water. We can’t learn how to be courageous unless we are put in a situation that requires it. We can’t learn to love by reading about it. We have to take the chance. We have to jump in and experience it ourselves. It is the same with our relationship with God. We’ll never know he is sovereign and in charge and wants the best for us if we don’t give him a chance to demonstrate that in our lives. Go back and read the story of Abraham and Isaac through this lens to see what I mean. It will shed new light on an ostensibly distasteful and puzzling story.

God also demonstrated to me his great promise of Immanuel when my mother died of a stroke two years ago. As I watched her die over a three day period, it was heartbreaking–and potentially faith-destroying. But as I watched her lying there, struggling to breathe and actively dying–this woman who had birthed me, raised me, and loved me better than any mother ever could–I also watched my beloved wife love mom by swabbing out her mouth to help make her more comfortable in her final hours.

In addition, with the help of the Holy Spirit, I kept reminding myself of the hope and promise we have as Christians. I kept reminding myself that death will not have the final say. This ugly and awful scene I was watching had already been conquered by a love more powerful than even death itself, that mom would soon be in the loving arms of the Lord whom she loved and who loved her and gave himself for her.

Again with the Spirit’s help, I reminded myself of the promise of New Creation when mom would be resurrected from the dead and given a new and glorious body, one that would not wear out on her or let her down the way her mortal body had done. Was any of this easy? No. Did it take away the pain of watching my beloved mother die? Certainly not.

What it did do, however, was to give me hope and sustain me during this terrible time because I knew this scene in the hospital was not the final scene of mom’s life. She had much better things awaiting her and that really did cause me not to lose heart or hope. It really was the only antidote that could prevent me from falling into despair and utter sorrow.

And notice carefully. I didn’t ask God for a sign, but he gave me a couple anyway. He helped me to focus on the Christian hope and promise during those three awful days, and he blessed me with a wife who so lovingly ministered to mom in her last hours. I could see the very hand of Christ in the form of my wife ministering to his broken and sick disciple lying helplessly and in great weakness. God indeed gave me a sign, but I had to be looking for it before I could see it.

That same power is available to us all if we will only accept it. But it comes at a cost–the cost of our proud, independent, and self-reliant self. We will have to put all that to death with the help of God’s Spirit living in us so that we can begin to live as he created and calls us to live. This doesn’t make us immune to life’s tragedies. But it gives us the power to deal with them with hope and joy that cannot be taken from us, even by the gates of Hell.

What about you? Are you looking for God’s signs in your life that will let you know he loves you, is with you, and is really in charge of everything so that you will not fall into despair and hopelessness? I pray that blessing for you and your loved ones this Advent season.