Immanuel – God With Us!

With Christmas just a little over a week away, I wanted to share with you something that continues to boggle my mind.  Of course, everything that surrounds the true meaning of Christmas is absolutely amazing.  However, there is one truth that I know I will never fully comprehend.  This truth is stated in both the Old and New Testaments.

Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Emmanuel.  Isaiah 7:14

Behold, the virgin shall be with child and shall bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel, which translated means, “God with us.“ Matthew 1:23

Whether one spells this name with an “E” or an “I”, the meaning is the same.  When Jesus was born as a baby, God came to this earth.  It is hard to comprehend that the Creator of the universe took on human flesh and dwelt with man right here on earth.  I love singing the little chorus that speaks this truth over and over again.

Emmanuel, Emanuel.  His name is called Emmanuel.  God with us, revealed in us.  His name is called Emmanuel.

As I prepare for Christmas, I am consumed with the truth that God loved me so much that He came and dealt among us.  This should impact how we live our lives each and every day.  But then something else happened because Jesus became God with us.  He went to the cross and died for our sins and rose again forever defeating sin and the grave.

When I repented of my sins and believed in my heart that Jesus was Lord, I was born again.  What is amazing about that is that it was no longer simply God with me but now it was God in me!  His Spirit lives within me.  So this Christmas I am rejoicing that they called His name Emmanuel – God with us!  But I also praise Him because of what happened on that first Christmas, I can now say that God is in me.  I can’t fully comprehend this truth but I have a new creation in Christ.

Here are the questions that I have asked myself as Christmas approaches.

1. How is my life a reflection of the truth that Emmanuel came to this earth?
2. How is my life different because He indwells me each and every day?

I pray that each of you has a blessed Christmas.  I look forward to being back with you in 2020.  Together let’s live our lives knowing that God is both with us and in us.  Can you imagine what 2020 might hold in store if the reality of Emmanuel consumed us each day?  Merry Christmas!