Isaiah confronted King Ahaz of Judea about the king's decision to make an alliance with Assyria. Isaiah told Ahaz to trust only Yahweh and ask him for a sign, rather than an alliance with a foreign power.

Ahaz responded that he wouldn't put the Lord to the test - which sounds pious, but Ahaz didn't trust Yahweh. Isaiah told him of a sign - a son would be born to a young woman and would be called Immanuel. This young woman is unnamed, but later, Matthew cited this as a prophecy of Jesus' virgin birth.

In Luke's story of the Annunciation of Jesus' birth, we see the beauty of Mary's faith. Mary is a young woman, a virgin. How shocking must it have been for her to be approached by an angel telling her that she would bear a son?

How could it be? The Holy Spirit would look after everything. Once the angel said that nothing would be impossible with God, Mary pronounced her strong consent: "Let it be with me according to your word."

Today we have two stories about trusting God - Ahaz did not; Mary made herself available and remarkably collaborated with God.