Immanuel

Isaiah 7: 14

Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and she will name Him Immanuel.

Immanuel – God with us. Of all the things that are unique about this new covenant, the one I like best is that God is present with us all the time. Yahweh revealed the coming miracle to Isaiah. It was bigger than just the Messiah which was promised. In the name Immanuel, God revealed an entirely new type of relationship that humanity would have with divinity. God sent his son here not just to save us from sin but also to create a new temple, the temple of the Holy Spirit which is not made of stones and mortar but of human sinew. What an amazing miracle!

Some people think the virgin pregnancy was the miracle of miracles. That is peanuts compared to the reality that God made us His temple and has come to make His abode in us. Yahweh didn’t just send a Messiah. He transformed the entire spiritual realm. Humans became the living building stones by which the Lord built His kingdom on earth and He is still building that kingdom.

This message of God with us is a Christmas message, sure, but it is so much more than that. I have tried to intimate what a game changer this event was. During this time of Covid-19 we can appreciate “Immanuel” at an entirely different level. God is with us. We have all three parts of the Trinity living with us, integrating their life with ours. Our hearts can be strengthened because God has sent His comfort and joy in the person of Jesus, our Christ. But it doesn’t end there. Jesus also sent us a helper, the Holy Spirit. We are not alone nor are we abandoned. This Christmas let’s all meditate on Immanuel – God with us. Make every day a revelation of Jesus sitting beside you. He is alongside you at work and he is baking cookies with you. No matter what you do this Advent Season, engage your thoughts about God with you. The more we consciously make ourselves aware of God’s presence with us, the more peace we will experience. Blessings!