Image from pastoralponderings.wordpress.com
Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz, saying, Ask a sign of the Lord your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven. But Ahaz said, I will not ask, and I will not put the Lord to the test. Then Isaiah said: ‘Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary mortals, that you weary my God also? Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel. He shall eat curds and honey by the time he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good. For before the child knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land before whose two kings you are in dread will be deserted. (Isaiah 7:10-16)
The word weary today may come from those tired from shopping or tired of the traffic around shopping centers. You can ask me about traffic, as this past weekend we left San Antonio to attend a school program in Houston, then we drove to San Marcos to pick up our dog, Wesley, and then drove straight home. Yesterday, we drove from Corpus Christi to San Antonio to check into our hotel for our cabinet meeting, drove on to Austin to attend another school program at a school off Hwy 360 past Barton Creek mall. After the program back to SA. If you see me today, weary will be written across my forehead.
In the time of Isaiah, the house of David (the government) was making the people of Israel weary with the worries of war with not just one king, but against two kings. The Lord asks Ahaz to ask for a sign to help remedy the weariness he was feeling and sharing with his people, and he refuses, claiming not wanting "to put the Lord to the test." So, the prophet speaks for the Lord and shares this Advent message: "Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign. Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name Him Immanuel." Ahaz knew that this meant, "God is with us." And so, though he wanted to not trouble the Lord, the shares a message of hope. Hope defeats weariness. And God defeats weariness. That's a message of preparation for the celebration of the birth of Jesus; no matter what we may be feeling or facing, reach out to the God who has already reached out to us and take His hand and receive hope!
PRAYER: Loving God, I take hope and strength from You. I ask that You defeat the things causing me to feel worried or wearied. And help me to share the good news with all who would hear: You have acted on our behalf. In Christ Jesus I pray, amen!
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
