Are you waiting for Christ?

Do we want Christ to come into our lives? Most believers would probably answer, “Yes, of course!” Yet this is not a simple question. Let us take one example from the Bible.

“In the days of Ahaz the son of Jotham, son of Uzziah, king of Judah, Rezin the king of Syria and Pekah the son of Remaliah the king of Israel came up to Jerusalem to wage war against it, but could not yet mount an attack against it. When the house of David was told, ‘Syria is in league with Ephraim,’ the heart of Ahaz and the heart of his people shook as the trees of the forest shake before the wind.
And the LORD said to Isaiah, ‘Go out to meet Ahaz, you and Shear-jashub your son, at the end of the conduit of the upper pool on the highway to the Washer’s Field. And say to him, “Be careful, be quiet, do not fear, and do not let your heart be faint because of these two smoldering stumps of firebrands… because Syria, with Ephraim and the son of Remaliah, has devised evil against you… thus says the Lord GOD: It shall not stand, and it shall not come to pass.”’”
(Isaiah 7:1–7, ESV)

King Ahaz was far from being a good king.

“And he did not do what was right in the eyes of the LORD his God, as his father David had done, but he walked in the way of the kings of Israel. He even burned his son as an offering, according to the despicable practices of the nations.”
(2 Kings 16:2–3, ESV)

Yet God decided to extend His hand of help to him. In fact, the Lord Himself had created this situation:

“In those days the LORD began to send Rezin the king of Syria and Pekah the son of Remaliah against Judah.”
(2 Kings 15:37, ESV)

God was seeking a way into the heart of King Ahaz and His people. By creating a dangerous situation and then delivering them from it, He wanted to reveal His glory and His saving power so that the people would cling to Him rather than seek help from the Assyrians or the Egyptians.

Seeing Ahaz’s hesitation, God even offered to give him a sign so that all doubt would disappear.

“Again the LORD spoke to Ahaz: ‘Ask a sign of the LORD your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven.’ But Ahaz said, ‘I will not ask, and I will not put the LORD to the test.’”
(Isaiah 7:10–12, ESV)

Why did Ahaz refuse the Lord’s offer? A person in great trouble should rejoice when God offers deliverance and even a confirming sign. Ahaz’s answer seems noble and pious—he does not want to trouble the Lord, implying that he already believes.

But the real reason was quite different. Ahaz had his own plan.

“So Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria, saying, ‘I am your servant and your son. Come up and rescue me from the hand of the king of Syria and from the hand of the king of Israel.’ Ahaz also took the silver and gold that was found in the house of the LORD and in the treasuries of the king’s house and sent a present to the king of Assyria.”
(2 Kings 16:7–8, ESV)

This plan seemed better and more reliable to him—perhaps because it was more “tangible.”

Thus Ahaz did not want a close relationship with God. He preferred to keep a certain distance. Ahaz did not want God to enter his life; he wanted to manage things in the way that seemed best to him.

This is typical of many Christians. We set boundaries for how far Christ may come into our lives. Usually we allow Him to give something—to save us from a difficult situation or heal us from illness—but not to come too close. We do not want to change anything, nor do we want anything to disturb the little world we have built for ourselves. It is ours, and we want to keep it that way.

King Ahaz understood very well that a close relationship with God would require certain changes in his life—changes he did not want to make. He wanted to remain his own master and preserve his little world.

I remember from my time serving in the army that sometimes a high-ranking officer—a general or someone similar—would come to visit the unit. We had to prepare; the officers tried to present everything in the best possible way. There was a kind of festive atmosphere, but there was also tension. And although everyone pretended to be happy about the visit, inwardly they were waiting for the moment when the superior would leave and things could return to normal.

Christians can be similar. We have our own understanding, our own little world. And although we claim to be right, in our hearts we know that we have many things of our own that do not match God’s Word—and we do not want to part with them. Because Christ’s coming usually means changes that our flesh does not want.

For example:

“In the temple he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers sitting there. And making a whip of cords, he drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and oxen. And he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables.”
(John 2:14–15, ESV)

Outwardly everything seemed well organized—Jews coming from other regions could exchange money and buy animals without blemish for sacrifices, as the Law required (even if they were more expensive than in the marketplace). But Christ destroyed the priests’ business. God does not tolerate hypocrisy.

The Pharisees also did not want God to enter their lives.

“Again he entered the synagogue, and a man was there with a withered hand. And they watched Jesus, to see whether he would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse him.”
(Mark 3:1–2, ESV)

They did not care about God’s miracles. On other occasions they set traps for Christ so that they could reject Him—so they would not have to give up what was dear to their hearts. They understood that Christ had been sent by God, but they did not want to let Him into their lives.

The simplest way was to find some supposed contradiction with God’s Word—something they eagerly sought. A perfect solution: find a justification for yourself and continue living as before without changing anything. And the conscience feels calm. Even if it stirs a little—it will pass; people get used to it.

More than once I have seen Christians hear a testimony that conflicts with their interests and immediately close their hearts. It is better not to investigate anything. Like the Pharisees, they have their own “Sabbath,” their own justification.

“This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.”
(Matthew 15:8, ESV)

“Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?”
(Luke 6:46, ESV)

So the question remains: do you truly want Christ to come into your life?
Are you ready for change?
Are you ready to let Him reign in your heart? Or is your little world too precious to you—so that you need Him only to solve your problems?