“The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call Him Immanuel which means God with us.” Matthew 1:23

When I marvel at the beauty of a sunrise, I know that God is with me!

As we continue our observance of Advent and joyfully anticipate the birth of Jesus Christ our Savior, let us take comfort and strength from the words of the prophet Isaiah, quoted here in Matthew. Jesus, The Messiah, Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Prince of Peace, will also be called Immanuel which means God with us.

Jesus, the Son of God, came to earth to become the Son of Man. He left the splendor of heaven and all that entailed (too wonderful for us to even be able to contemplate!) to be born of humble parents as a helpless baby so that He might demonstrate His love for us. Jesus, God with us, grew up, learned a trade, worked and lived a human life. He understands the human condition but totally without sin.

Jesus is our perfect intermediary. He knows us, shares our troubles, feels our emotions and understands us (and loves us anyway!). He followed the course for the plan of salvation for men and women everywhere. And when we accept that gift, that greatest gift of all time, Jesus is still today, “God with us”. He is with us and helps us navigate our troubles, our worries, our seemingly insurmountable problems. Jesus will not leave us alone because He is God with us.

So as we look forward to not only celebrating the first coming of Jesus, but await His second coming, let’s invite Jesus to be our God with us. Let’s honestly share our imperfect lives and allow His peace and mercy and grace to embrace us and to offer us the comfort of knowing He is with us and will never leave us.

This week, if you are still keeping your “God’s Everlasting Love” journal, describe one time in your life when you know that Jesus, God, was with you.

My journal entry: I was laying inside an MRI tube, completely still, with tears trickling down into my hair. No one was in the room with me. I was totally and desperately alone. I contemplated the seizure I had had while working with a student. My mind raced through all the possibilities; cancer, tumor, epilepsy, disease. I was an itinerate teacher. I could have been driving. I could have died! “Thank You, Lord, for Your protection.” Suddenly I was not alone. I felt peace and acceptance of whatever diagnosis might come. The tears ceased. My Immanuel was with me.

I thank God for each of you! And I thank you for joining me this week as we re-discover that Jesus is God with us.