The LORD spoke to Ahaz: Ask for a sign from the Lord, your God … But Ahaz answered, “I will not ask!” Ahaz, the king, will not ask because he was, well, king. He was in charge. He wanted to do what he wanted to do. If he asked of God he would be showing his dependence on God, not his own strength. Jesus, of course, told us to “ask, seek, knock.” Jesus wants us to understand that we are not independent operators, but children of God, reliant on divine grace in order to get through the day. Ahaz wanted to keep God safely at a distance — locked away in the temple. Jesus wants us to be aware of God’s presence in everyday life.
