Many years ago, Bill Engvall came out with a comedy bit he called, “Here’s Your Sign,” which was based on his funny observations about everyday life, often involving people asking obvious questions. Let me give you an example:
- I had a flat tire, so I pulled my car into a gas station. The attendant walks out, looks at my car, looks at me, and said, “Tire go flat?” I couldn’t resist. I said, “Nope. I was driving around and those other three just swelled right up on me. Here’s your sign.”
But things are not always as obvious as one might think.
In our first reading, King Ahaz wasn’t quite grasping what God was saying to him when he said, “Ask for a sign…” But Ahaz was lacking in trust and replied, “I will not ask! I will not tempt the Lord!” So Isaiah basically says, “Ok, then, here’s your sign…the virgin shall conceive and bear a son and they shall name him Emmanuel.”
The challenge is to always trust in God’s abiding presence, especially when we experience hardship, doubt, or confusion.
In less than two weeks, I will experience a monumental shift in my daily life – something that will shake the very core of my existence and take me to a place that I did not expect to go for several more years. And I am completely terrified of what will happen next.
I was faced with an incredibly difficult work decision: to take a voluntary severance package or risk being laid off. My first instinct was to take it to prayer, which I did. But I was still feeling an immense feeling of anxiety regarding my decision. Fortunately, I had a personal retreat planned where I knew that I would be able to spend time in quiet prayer and contemplate my next move. But I was still very anxious.
One night on retreat, I had a dream. I kept hearing a voice saying, “Do not be afraid. Everything is going to be all right. Just trust me.” I woke up feeling like a heavy weight had been lifted off my soul and I suddenly experienced an overwhelming sense of peace. That was my sign!
In today’s gospel, we heard how Joseph had a dream and experienced God coming into his life. I’m guessing Joseph had quite a few fears on his mind. Perhaps he was wondering how he would support his family, especially running his own small business as a carpenter. He had to worry about taxes, food, housing, and the stress of eventually raising a family. He must have asked himself if he was ready to handle all this.
How many of us have worried with similar issues? How many of us, like Joseph, live our lives filled with confusion, uncertainty, doubt, anxiety, stress, and fear? How many of us keep asking, “Lord, what do I do? What’s my next step? How do I get through this?”
We can imagine Joseph’s shock when he finds out that Mary is pregnant, and the child is not his. Joseph had a decision to make: to either divorce Mary quietly and leave her, or to trust in God’s plan. Joseph needed a sign.
And God intervened. An angel speaks to Joseph in a dream: “Do not be afraid, Joseph. God has come to you. Will you let him in?”
Joseph knew what he had to do, but then he had to act. And that is a good reminder for us – that we must always be on the lookout for our sign, for what God is asking us to do in our own lives. God’s invitation always moves us to action.
As Advent comes to a close, now is the time to let the Lord enter into our lives and start thinking about what God is asking us to do.
Maybe we are being asked to make a drastic change in our lives; or maybe the actions we are called to take are more subtle. Maybe we’re being asked to give more of ourselves in service to others or to remove certain habits or behaviors that push us away from living a Christ-centered life. But God is asking something from each of us.
Did Joseph feel unworthy, upset, or scared? We don’t know. But his dream renewed his peace, confidence, and trust in the Lord. Joseph did as the angel of the Lord commanded, and we are offered the same opportunity every single day – to listen and trust in the one true voice that speaks of peace and is worthy of our praise.
My sisters and brothers, here’s our sign: God is with us in a most unexpected way: in the person of a human infant. When we let Jesus enter into our lives, trust him, and take action, then we’ll experience true inner peace. Let us always praise the name of the One who is to come and the One who is always present: Emmanuel – God is with us.
Do you have trust issues? Then read this.
