Excuses, excuses
I slept in, I ran out of time or the original excuse, “The woman made me do it”. Excuses are as old as time or at least as long as we’ve been held accountable for our actions.
And in today’s sermon text, we hear Ahaz try an excuse on God, “I will not test you”, when in fact God was just asking him to do what Is faithful. Oh, we are such fools. We hide behind excuses – driven by pride, shame, and selfishness – instead of doing what is right and faithful.
Fortunately, God is faithful even when we are not. He gives us His good gifts despite the fact that we don’t deserve them. We make excuses but He continues to be patient with us, beyond generous, and fulfill all His promises.
Thanks be to God for loving us unconditionally and fulfilling His promises!
Here is the full text from Isaiah 7:
10 Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz: 11 “Ask a sign of the Lord your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven.” 12 But Ahaz said, “I will not ask, and I will not put the Lord to the test.” 13 And he said, “Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary men, that 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. 15 He shall eat curds and honey when he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good. 16 For before the boy knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land whose two kings you dread will be deserted. 17 The Lord will bring upon you and upon your people and upon your father’s house such days as have not come since the day that Ephraim departed from Judah—the king of Assyria!”
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