Skip to main content

Immanuel God with Us


“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, NASB)
In these verses Matthew was quoting the prophet Isaiah, who seven hundred years earlier had foretold the birth of Jesus Christ. “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 Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14). 
Immanuel. God with us.
God with us. I have read these words often. So often, that they have become familiar. So familiar, that I ask myself: Have I lost the awe of what they really mean?
Immanuel. God with us.
This morning I decided to stop and ponder like Mary did.
God with us. 
How can this be? 
The God of creation, who spoke the universe into being, Who hung the stars on nothing and knows them by name. Who created the earth and all that is in it. 
The One who is, and was, and is to come. The Great I AM. The Most High over all the earth. 
God who is light, and in whom there is no darkness at all. The light of the world. 
The heavens declare His glory  and the skies display the work of His Hands.
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Sovereign, Immortal, All Sufficient, Omnipotent, Omniscient, Infinite, Incomprehensible, Self Existent...Immanuel God with us!
God so awesome and yet He loved the world so much, He sent His Only Son to earth as a babe in a manger. The sinless One. Born to die and rise from the dead so we could have eternal life. 
Immanuel God with us.
Dear Christian, we have the greatest message of hope to give a hurting and dark world. Don't waste your time fighting the greeting. Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays. What does it matter? Surely God does not need us to defend Him? 
Instead let us go out and do what He asked of us. 
When Jesus was asked what was the most important commandment, He replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment.  A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself." Matthew 22:37-39 (NLT)
'Tis the season dear reader to show the love of God who came down to us. So don't hold back. Make the phone call, write the card, give the gift, share the cookies, whatever it takes to show the world the love of Our God. 
And then tell them of the hope you have because of...
Immanuel God with us.
Remember we love because He first loved us.
A very Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

"Joy comes with the morning." Psalm 30

"You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; you have loosed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness,that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever!" Three days after Julius went home to the Lord, God had given me a promise. He had spoken to me from Psalm 77. Just like He had moved the nation of Israel, He was going to make a way through the deep waters of suffering that I was in. A way that I could not see, a way that I had to trust. I had to make a choice to move forward and believe that the waters would not drown me. (Is 43:2).  I had to believe Him. It is one year and 9 months and there are days even now when the waters seem to overwhelm and there are days when I see a glimpse of the path ahead. Through the prophet Isaiah He says: 'Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness...
5 comments
Read more

Thankful

Another first... Last year we had my Papa and Julius at the dinner table. Couple of weeks later my Dad passed away - slipped away in his sleep. Six months later Julius was gone to heaven. To be honest I have asked God "What are you thinking God?" "How do you expect me to move on with so much loss and grief?" And "What is coming next?" I confess that none of these questions are answered because they are not worthy to be asked. God is Sovereign, He is Creator and He is in control and I am so comforted by His Word. In the book of Job I read: But he is unchangeable, and who can turn him back?      What he desires, that he does. 14  For he will complete what he appoints for me,      and many such things are in his mind . Job 23:13-14. And again in Lamentations 3 For the Lord will not cast off forever, 32  but, though he cause grief, he will have compassion according to the abundance of his steadfast love;  33  for he doe...
3 comments
Read more

The past 2 weeks

How do I describe these last 2 weeks of my life? May 7th, 2013 a seemingly ordinary day. Julius dressed for work in his new red checked shirt, and new flat front khakis. feeling good, looking great, bounding off to work with a huge smile and a hug with a promise to come home. Last conversation "guess what I read in the book of Jeremiah today" (always, always excited about God's Word) "don't put my pyjamas to the wash", (knowing my habit of throwing everything to the wash), helping me clear the room for the workmen who were coming that day to change the windows (my strong man),  "thank you for making my lunch" (always so gracious and thankful). 10 am - a call from work to say that he was not yet there. No answer on his cell phone - wouldn't have returned a call anyway because his phone was in the trunk of his car (safe driving habit). I just knew that something was horribly wrong. and then a blur of OPP officer at the door, phone call to Ale...
Post a Comment
Read more