Isaiah 7:10-14
"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."
Long ago, King Ahaz of Judah wanted proof that the prophet, Isaiah was speaking the truth of God's word. Through the prophet, God invited the king to ask for a sign, but Ahaz refused. Thus, God himself offered a sign saying, "the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel." While biblical scholars have suggested that this woman was most likely the wife of the prophet, Christians have always identified this young woman as Mary, the mother of Jesus, as proclaimed in the first chapter of the Gospel of Matthew.
Signs are an important part of our lives. Signs keep us safe on the roadway, guide us to the right place, and help us remember important dates and events. During our Advent journey, the signs that we are in the midst of the celebration of Christmas abound. Sometimes, we tend to discount what we call the commercialization of Christmas and scoff at the many ways this wondrous season is used to turn a profit. However, even in the midst of the clamor and chaos of that commercialization we can rejoice that even these "secular signs" serve to proclaim the birth of our Savior. So, rather than scoffing at these signs of the season, perhaps we should rejoice and celebrate that even in the midst of the "secular Christmas" the signs of God coming to us in Jesus Christ abound!
Prayer:
O God of signs and seasons, amidst the tinsel, the twinkling lights, and the chaos of this busy season, give us eyes to see and hearts to experience the true joy of the coming of Christ into our. Amen.
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