In today's scripture, Isaiah suggests that Ahaz seek a sign from God. The response from Ahaz is a surprising and somewhat pious ploy in that he (Ahaz) would not seek a sign or tempt the Lord.  Isaiah goes on to announce that God had chosen a miraculous sign addressed to the House of David.  Since the Davidic line (and hence the Messianic line) was at stake, the prophesy was directed to all generations (even us!)  It was a prophesy of Hope.

 

As I look on my grand babies, I am reminded that in the long process of preparation young people sometimes weary along the way.  They become impatient or discouraged, give up, or otherwise settle for something less than the best they could be.

 

It is the trait of youth to be restless with routine - with the daily doing of what has to be done - to become what they want to become quickly, to want to start unrealistically near the top.  But, the pursuit of excellence is a long and patient process; there is no quick or easy way of acquiring knowledge, skills, judgment, quality - credentials.  Competence and experience do not come quickly.

 

Even those who seem to have arrived usually spend much of their time in tedious routine, repetition, in the practice and performance of a daily round of duty.  Consider the musician: they may be before the audience for a relatively few minutes, and receive applause for only a few seconds.  And for those few minutes of music and those few seconds of applause, there are uncounted hours of painstaking effort - the drudgery of doing over and over again the practice that precedes performance.  Always there is the process of preparation - the learning, the doing, the willingness to work, the willingness to take responsibility, the willingness to follow through.

 

In the parable of the talents, Christ said, "Thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things."  We have to begin, we have to learn, we have to know; we have to do the lesser things before we can be trusted with the larger ones.  This is a basic law of life.

 

There is much patience and preparation, much tedious repetition and routine in the lives of all of us, and there is no shortcut to excellence, to competence - or to the solid values of time or the limitless opportunities of eternity.

 

Let us take our lesson from Ahaz - not to be pious or self-serving, but to seek God in this blessed time of waiting.  And while we wait, let us seek God where He may be found.  Let us endeavor to become ". . . faithful over a few things", so that we ultimately may become ". . . ruler over many."  Blessed Advent.  Blessed waiting.