Isaiah 7:10-14
3rd Week of Advent
“Ahaz answered, ‘I will not ask! I will not tempt the Lord!’” (Isaiah 7:12)
Like
King Ahaz, we too may resist the idea of asking God for a sign. God has
already made things so clear in his word that asking for a further sign
seems to show a lack of trust. Or maybe we don’t believe God is
interested in the details of our daily life or that he cares enough to
manifest himself to us in a personal way.
Still,
a sign from God can be exactly what we need to move us along the path
to deeper spiritual maturity. Near the beginning of that path, God
delights in answering what has come to be known as The Seeker’s Prayer:
“God, if you’re real, I want to know you. Show yourself to me in a way I
can recognize.” This is a good way to pray for our loved ones who do
not presently acknowledge God.
Those
who have already committed ourselves to the Lord often hesitate when
there’s a fork in the road. We can easily decide between a clear good
and a blatant evil. Obviously I should count to ten instead of exploding
at my defiant teenager! But more often, two good alternatives are
placed before us.
God
trusts us to make a good decision and promises to walk with us along
either branch of the path. But before we decide, we long to know what he
thinks is truly best for us. In a situation like this, it may also be
appropriate to ask God for a sign.
That
sign may take many forms. Sometimes it is a spoken word that resonates
in our heart. Sometimes it’s something in nature, like a rose blooming
out of season. Or we can open Scripture, and ask the Spirit to lead us
to a particular passage. A person considering a job transfer may find
Genesis 12, God calling Abraham to leave his homeland, or St. Paul in 1
Corinthians 7:26, “Remain as he is.”
God
doesn’t work like a magician. When you sense him leading you in a
particular direction, test the word in several ways. Make sure it is
consistent with Scripture and our Catholic tradition. Seek the advice of
trusted mentors. Wait until you are at peace that this is God’s word to
you. Then move forward with confidence, and let God go to work!
“Father, I delight in doing your will. Make your way clear before me.”
Psalm 24:1-6; Luke 1:26-38
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