There is More to the Story

Monday, December 14, 2020

Isaiah 7:10-14

“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.’”

Dear Friends,

This last verse has been spoken out every Advent by pastors and scripture readers throughout the ages pointing to the foretelling of Christ’s birth 700 year later. It’s plucked from this passage and stands on its own as a foreshadowing prophesy. And maybe it should be. But maybe there’s more to this passage for Advent than the sign to come. Maybe there’s a word here for us that goes beyond this one liner.

In the 8th century B.C.E., King Ahaz, from Judah, was caught in the middle of a battle between Syria and Israel. Through Isaiah, God spoke to Ahaz and asked Ahaz to trust God but Ahaz basically says, “Thanks, but no thanks. The Assyrians have said they got my back and I’ve seen their arsenal and it’s pretty legit. So, I’m good.” And God’s like, “Pshaw, thy will be done. But I’m still gonna give you a sign whether you want one or not because I’m good like that.”

And because God is good and trustworthy, God follows through with the sign that most of us have been told about every Advent. But even though the sign points to the most abundant gift of Love the world has ever known, I don’t want us to miss the additional invitation I see here. 

Friends, God has been moving in this world all along and has forever been inviting people to move alongside God. Yet we keep looking elsewhere, trusting in other powers, peoples, systems, political leaders, and wealth. And God is like, “Pshaw, I’ll keep showing up with a sign for you to trust me and follow my good way of justice and love.” And we’re like, “No thanks, man, there’s this other -ism over here that seems better, easier, quicker…”

Advent invites us to see the whole passage of scripture and the whole story instead of picking out what we want to see and what makes us feel good. The whole story shows us who we are and who God is. The whole story reveals a fickle leader and a fickle people and a God who came near: Immanuel, God with us. Smack dab in the middle of our distrust, God came near.

Some trust in chariots and some in horses,
    but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.

I want the confidence of this Psalmist who trusts in the name of God. The word name, in Hebrew, is shemwhich means “reputation.” The reputation of God is one where God has forever drawn near. From the ancient and first moments of creation to the very suffering you’re enduring right now, God has drawn near and close—God with you/us/all things. 

May your confidence be in the consistent reputation of God’s lavish, abundant love for you and for all people. And may you bestow that love towards others today. Immanuel, we give you thanks.

With (love),
Bethany