With Us // Immanuel

Life hasn’t exactly turned out like I would have expected it to.  But in all the grief and loss I have experienced the last few years, there is one truth about God’s character that seems to jump off the pages of the Bible repeatedly to me, without me even trying to find it – God’s nearness.  From Genesis to Revelation, the theme of God being with his people is woven throughout.  This aspect of God’s character has given me comfort, changed my perspective on my circumstances, and drawn me to him in ways I have never imagined. Because I can’t help but find these nuggets of “God with us” all throughout His Word, I thought I’d share some of those with you, here, in the form of short, regular devotionals.  Start off your week with the assurance that God is with you – and see how that changes things, no matter what you’re going through or where you are in life.  Ask God, “Meet me here” – after all, that’s the very thing he's asking you. 

Matthew 1:18-25

¹⁸ Now the birthof Jesus Christ took place in this way. When hismother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together shewas found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. ¹⁹ And her husband Joseph,being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorceher quietly. ²⁰ But as he consideredthese things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream,saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for thatwhich is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. ²¹ She will bear a son,and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people fromtheir sins.” ²² All this tookplace to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:

²³ “Behold, the virgin shallconceive and bear a son,and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means,God with us). ²⁴ When Joseph woke fromsleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, ²⁵ but knew her not untilshe had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.

Context

At times we canbecome numb to certain truths from Scripture. Stories become just that – stories. It feels almost wrong sometimes to read things like Jesus’ birth outsideof Christmastime, just like it would be to listen to “Jingle Bells” in April(for me at least!).  But, this ispowerful – and not to be overlooked. It’s also real.  After thousandsof years of waiting and prophesying, following the banishment from God’spresence due to sin, God sent the Messiah – his son, the one who was to comeand save the world.  And he did this inthe form of a baby.  Named Jesus.  Immanuel, God with us.  Meditate afresh on these today.

Questions to Consider

1. Whatdo we learn here about God? What basic truths of his character, or who he is,or even his names, do we see given to us in this passage?
2. Theangel of the Lord quotes Isaiah 7:14 in naming his son.  What connections do you see in knowing whoJesus is and what he does (even looking at v 21), and then knowing the meaningof his name, Immanuel?
3. Whattoday is freeing for you in considering that Jesus is actually named Immanuel,“God with us”?  How might this impact asituation in your life, or a renew hope that you may have lost based on yourcircumstances?  How can you come toJesus, to God, with those things?

Jesus, you were always created to be theone who made a way where there was no way. Your very name shows that – you are God with us.  We glaze past this, as if this isn’t a significanttruth, as if it’s just part of a children’s story around Christmas.  But this is a big deal! Help us today totreasure and to recognize that your very name demonstrates that God was willingto draw near to us, to walk among his people. That’s always been his heart. Help us to see how your presence your nearness today can make adifference with whatever we’re walking through. 

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Find all of the devotionals, including the introductory explanation post, here.