Uncertain Times

 

The Annunciation – Friday, March 25, 2022

When Ahaz, son of Jotham and grandson of Uzziah, was king of Judah, King Rezin of Syria and Pekah son of Remaliah, the king of Israel, set out to attack Jerusalem.  However, they were unable to carry out their plan.  The news had come to the royal court of Judah: “Syria is allied with Israel against us!” So the hearts of the king and his people trembled with fear, like trees shaking in a storm.  Then the Lord said to Isaiah, “Take your son Shear-jashub and go out to meet King Ahaz.  You will find him at the end of the aqueduct that feeds water into the upper pool, near the road leading to the field where cloth is washed.  Tell him to stop worrying.  Tell him he doesn’t need to fear the fierce anger of those two burned-out embers, King Rezin of Syria and Pekah son of Remaliah.  Yes, the kings of Syria and Israel are plotting against him, saying,  ‘We will attack Judah and capture it for ourselves. Then we will install the son of Tabeel as Judah’s king.’  But this is what the Sovereign Lord says: “This invasion will never happen; it will never take place; for Syria is no stronger than its capital, Damascus, and Damascus is no stronger than its king, Rezin.  As for Israel, within sixty-five years it will be crushed and completely destroyed.  Israel is no stronger than its capital, Samaria, and Samaria is no stronger than its king, Pekah son of Remaliah.  Unless your faith is firm, I cannot make you stand firm.”  Later, the Lord sent this message to King Ahaz:  “Ask the Lord your God for a sign of confirmation, Ahaz.  Make it as difficult as you want—as high as heaven or as deep as the place of the dead.”  But the king refused.  “No,” he said, “I will not test the Lord like that.”  Then Isaiah said, “Listen well, you royal family of David!  Isn’t it enough to exhaust human patience?  Must you exhaust the patience of my God as well?  All right then, the Lord himself will give you the sign.  Look!  The virgin will conceive a child!  She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’).  Isaiah 7:1-14

The Annunciation to Mary, to the shepherds, and even in foreshadow of the Old Testament context, generally connects with our softer side, the announcement of a gift to come, God’s forgiveness for our mess-up.  We don’t usually associate the annunciation with confusion and uncertainty.  But that’s because we know the rest of the story…we’re 2,000 years on the other side of Mary’s pregnancy and all the confusion from which it was sprung.

We have a hard time in confusing times, times of darkness, where babies are killed in the womb, huge nations invade smaller, vulnerable neighbors, values are trampled in the dust, wrong is paraded as right, and Godliness is mocked…and then connecting the dots to God’s will and perfect plan being birthed.  These days certainly qualify as confusing.

But ask Isaiah.  King Ahaz was offered a sign, and was either too frightened, or just too politically-invested to participate.  The prophet said:  OK…you’re too fragile for this faith stuff…God will speak it clearly…a virgin’s womb will bring the answer to every problem you think you have.

For You Today

Sometimes, especially when the entire world and all you call holy has gone upside down, it’s hard to imagine God is bringing forth something wonderful from the mess.

In confusing times, when we can’t understand what God is up to, just keep your attention on Scripture, prayer, worship, fellowship, and serving Him.  If He can bring His salvation to a virgin in a manger, what’s going on today doesn’t give the LORD any perspiration on His brow…and it shouldn’t destroy peace in God’s family either.  We who trust in God should believe what the LORD said to Ahaz:  God won’t MAKE you stand firm against these uncertain and ungodly times, but when you stand firm in your faith, He will keep you standing firm.

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day!  

[1] Title image: Pixabay.com   Unless noted, Scripture quoted from The New Living Translation^©