Accept His sign

Isaiah 7:10-14
Moreover the LORD spoke again to Ahaz, saying, 11 “Ask a sign for yourself from the LORD your God; ask it either in the depth or in the height above.” 12 But Ahaz said, “I will not ask, nor will I test the LORD!” 13 Then he said, “Hear now, O house of David! Is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will you weary my God also? 14 Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel. 

Here’s your sign from God, Ahaz: a baby born to a virgin. For the shepherds, the sign was a baby in a manger. Ahaz was a faithless king, fearing other nations instead of trusting God. God gave him a baby named "God’s with us," and before the baby was old enough to know right and wrong the nation he feared would no longer be a threat. Jesus fulfills this, because He came to us as a baby, and He removes all the threats that we fear. We may not be like King Ahaz, refusing to trust God when God has already given us a sign. But we all struggle to believe the good news rung out on festive days like Christmas, that a savior is born to us. This falling back into fear of threats or works righteousness, this is sin to be confessed.

12/23/12