A Sign of Trust
Ask and Receive – Part 1

Scripture Reading: Isaiah 7:10-14

Key Verse: Isaiah 7:14

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.

In 734 BC, a man named Ahaz was King of Judah in Jerusalem. At one point in his reign he heard news that two opposing nations were getting together and planning an attack on him and the people of Jerusalem. Not surprisingly, Ahaz and the people were terrified. However, through the Prophet Isaiah, the Lord assured Ahaz not to be afraid because God would stop the attack before it even began. Unfortunately, Ahaz didn’t believe the message Isaiah gave him from the Lord. He started to look for help in other places.

God, in His mercy, sent Isaiah a second time to Ahaz. In our scripture for today, we read Isaiah telling Ahaz to ask the Lord for a sign of confrontation. Ahaz’s response sounds good, but it really was a refusal of the Lord’s help: “But the king refused. ‘No,’ he said, ‘I will not test the Lord like that’” (Isaiah 7:12).

According to the Prophet Isaiah, Ahaz was exhausting the Lord’s patience. Do you think that we, at times, exhaust the Lord’s patience? I think most of us have, at times, in our lives. Thankfully, the Lord never gives up on us; His love is steadfast! The point of today’s scripture lesson is that God stands guard over His people; we can relax! A secondary lesson is, sometimes it’s ok to ask for a confirmation of His promises. I have tested this point and God has graciously confirmed what I was asking. God loves you; ask and receive. (Continued)

Father, help me to rest in your promise to protect and guide me today. In Jesus’ name, amen.