Lani's Blog

Matthew 1 21-23

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Now all of this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the Prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us."











I am going to be doing the Annual Advent Adventure so the blog is about to get spiritual and personal.  I need this right now as a have wandered around, walked close to but not on the path God has laid out for me. Or at least the path I think He has chosen for me.  I need some clarity and I hope by heading to Bethlehem, I will find it.





The first verse to contemplate is from Matthew 1 21:23.





These verses don’t really mean a whole lot to me. And before you gasp in surprise and call me callous, I was raised Catholic. Every Christmas, these verses were pounded into us as well as anytime were to be reminded that we humans were born of sin and Jesus was not.  And I do not mean this in an envious or bitter way, but as “You are scum and God had to dirty His hands to save you.”  I see now those sermons and lessons were not to be taken in such a way but as a child that’s how I heard them. 





However, when Bud mentioned that there was an interesting story connected to the promise, I went looking for it. It’s in Isaiah Chapter 7.





King Ahaz and his people of Judah were frightened because the king of Israel and the king and the Aram were getting ready for war.  God tells Ahaz not to be afraid but to ask for a sign. Dumbfounded, Ahaz refuses.


I understand Ahaz. God wants to talk to me? To test Him? This could be very good or very bad. What do I do?








Then Isaiah said, “Hear now, you house of David! Is it not enough to try the patience of humans? Will you try the patience of my God also? Therefore the Lord himself will give you[c] a sign: The virgin[d] will conceive and give birth to a son, and[e] will call him Immanuel.[f] 15 He will be eating curds and honey when he knows enough to reject the wrong and choose the right, 16 for before the boy knows enough to reject the wrong and choose the right, the land of the two kings you dread will be laid waste. 17 The LORD will bring on you and on your people and on the house of your father a time unlike any since Ephraim broke away from Judah—he will bring the king of Assyria.”














So God chose for the king and Judah.  He makes a promise that cannot help Ahaz even if it were to fulfilled right that very minute.  God basically says “Since you didn’t ask, I’ll give you want you need instead of what you want.”





Jesus was coming. God had promised Adam and Eve at the fall. The promise would have been given of the birth of Christ. It’s just so typical so human that what we need has to be wrestled out of us. 





I am so there. I am going to wrestle with myself and find out what I need and earnestly ask for it from God. For Christmas this year, I want clarity, the will to accept what I see and the WANT TO  to do it.

Lani