Cling or Release

7/3/2009

Isaiah 7:11 11 “Ask a sign for yourself from the Lord your God; make it deep as Sheol or high as heaven.” New American Standard Bible

Ahaz the king of Judah was giving lip-service to God on where his real alliances were, so as God’s man ruling God’s country, God in Isaiah 7 called him on it: “Are you going to believe in Me or in your alliances? But just to show you how powerful I am in dealing with foreign powers, here, ask Me for anything and make it as tough as you can and I will prove to you who I am, and what I do!” That’s almost like getting three wishes! The tragedy was Ahaz refused to ask for a sign because he wanted to look religious but he didn’t want to give up on the alliances he’d forged because he trusted in them more that he did God.

Makes me wonder what I am clinging to rather than the Lord. Is it on my own creativity and skill? Hmmm. How about my friendships? (Maybe this networking thing is working…) Or is it my family or money (that’s safe because I don’t have any money!), or the government, or, or, or …? Whatever I am substituting for God is to my own hurt because whenever I reject Him (substitute someone or something else) I only gain myself and my track record to this point is terrible when it comes to depending on me…

Father in Heaven,

Your desire is to have all of my heart, all of the time; and Your promise is to see me through as I cling to You. So today I think about king Ahaz and what he was trying to protect and then I think about me and what I might be trying to protect. I pray that You help me to cling to You with all of my heart and to release my grip in whatever it is I am clinging to that I think will free me from what I feel is the current crisis. Help me to trust in the One born of a virgin whose Name is Immanuel – I pray and trust in His Name, amen.