I’m in the middle of a two-part sermon series on the prophecy found in Isaiah 7–a prophecy to which Matthew refers in his account of the birth of Jesus. Even though I was already familiar with this prophecy, it was until I began preparing for this message series that I was really struck by this verse…
“And he said, Hear ye now, O house of David; Is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will ye weary my God also?” (Isaiah 7:13, KJV)
This is the question Isaiah asks of those who witnessed his discouraging and frustrating exchange with King Ahaz. God sent Isaiah to Ahaz with a message of assurance at a time when Jerusalem was under siege. It was not only a promise of deliverance but an opportunity for Ahaz to turn from his ungodly ways and put his trust in the Lord. God even offers Ahaz a sign to prove the veracity of the promise.
Ahaz spurns the offer.
This is what draws Isaiah’s rebuke.
I don’t belong in the same league (not even the same sentence) as a God-honoring, righteous prophet like Isaiah. Nevertheless, I can understand his weariness in Isaiah 7:13. I get his frustration. I’ve been a pastor for 17 years and I still can’t grasp the following…
Why do so many people who say they believe in God live like they don’t care what He thinks or says?
Our society and our churches are full of people who profess to be Christians who:
- believe things they shouldn’t believe
- say things they shouldn’t say
- do things they shouldn’t do
And in many cases, it just seems like…
They don’t care what God says or thinks.
They either ignore, disregard, downplay, explain away, or outright defy God’s clear revelation in the Scriptures. And do so repeatedly. And they go on with their lives as if it’s no big deal.
If Isaiah were alive today, he would look at most of us who say we’re Christians and he would almost certainly say much the same thing to us that he did 2,700 years ago.
Why do we weary God?
The apostle Paul tells us that we can grieve God (see Ephesians 4), and yet we continue to do so. We weary Him and we grieve Him.
And most of us just don’t seem to care.
I realize that we are saved by grace and not by works (see Ephesians 2:8-10), but James also tells us that faith without works is dead (see James 2:26). If our faith is real, people will see it. And, more importantly, God will see it.
Is your faith real?
If it is, then you should care what God thinks about your life. It should matter to you that you please Him and not grieve Him.
Yes, He is a God of mercy. And, yes, none of us is perfect. I’m not perfect and I’m not your judge. I get it. But… at the same time… I say to you and to myself…
This isn’t a game. Life is real. And it’s short. Yes, it’s messy. But we only get one. Just one life.
How much of your one life are you going to spend saying things, believing things, and doing things that grieve or weary the God who loves you?
Something to think about.
And pray about.
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The Holy Spirit lives in me and I try to listen to Him. It’s hard at times to really listen and pray without ceasing, but one has to try. I go off by myself several times a day even with a busy agenda to be alone with our Lord and Savior.
I see people that profess to believe but not read the Word, not read it from cover to cover, and just drag their feet when it comes to their faith. They make excuses that someday they will but remember… life passes in a flash and you cannot go back. It goes by even faster when you reach a senior position in life.
I believe, but I ask Him to teach me everything now so I can help someone along the way or many before I leave this world. I believe because I sat on that sandbag covered tent in Vietnam with a GI issued Bible tucked into my left utility uniform pocket in the Marine Corps, and prayed to Him that if He returned me back home in one piece He would make a believer of me for life. He has and I did not forget what I promised Him.
I am still being molded by His hands forever learning His ways.