God With Us

"Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel." ~ Isaiah 7:14

Fast forward 700 years:

"'And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.' So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: 'Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,' which is translated, 'God with us.'" ~ Matthew 1:21-23

When the Lord shows me scriptures that overlap, and undergird, and fulfill one another, it absolutely thrills my soul. The Word of God is so intricate, so rich. I just love it!

Have you ever thought about - I mean really thought about - the name Immanuel? Within its framework is the miracle of our salvation. Within its framework is the definition of God's love. Think about it...Immanuel. God with us.

In the Garden of Eden, the earthly paradise that contained no sin, God literally walked with Adam and Eve. He talked with them, He dwelt with them. That, in itself, is amazing. Remember, mankind was created for fellowship with our Creator. He desired our company. But, when sin entered the picture, a Holy God could no longer dwell with mankind. Imagine His emotions: anger, betrayal, sorrow, loneliness. We don't think of God that way, do we? But according to the Scripture, the Lord our God experiences all of these emotions and more.

And so, for thousands of years, the Lord put a plan in motion that would ensure that His children could once again know Him and dwell with Him.

Immanuel. God with us...Jesus.

Colossians 1:15 reads, "He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation." The Greek word used here for image means "an exact revelation and representation." When we meet Jesus, we are meeting God.

Now, I know this is not a major newsflash, but isn't it wonderful to consider this at a deeper level than just head knowledge? Just imagine, the same God who holds the seas in the hollow of His hands and walks on the wings of the wind is the same God who walked this earth in the form of His Son, reconciling His children to Himself. He is the same God who dwelt with Adam and Eve in the Garden. He is the same God that will once again dwell with us when He comes for His Bride and takes us home.

He is the same God whose birth we celebrate this Christmas.

Immanuel. God with us...Jesus.

What are you facing this Christmas? Job loss? Betrayal? Illness? Depression? Please, let this phenomenal truth sink into your weary spirit: You are not alone. Immanuel came to earth that we might know Him, the One True God. He came that He might dwell with us, love us, comfort us.

May the miracle of His birth encourage you and fill you with hope this Christmas.

Immanuel. God with us...Jesus.



Father, You are an amazing God. Thank You for never giving up on us. Thank You for being tenacious with Your pursuit of us. Forgive us for taking this for granted at times. Please forgive us for making the birth of Your Son into a commercial circus. Bring us back to the simplicity of the manger that cradled Him. Bring us back to the birth of our Savior, Immanuel, Jesus Christ. We love You Lord. We sing glory and give You praise!
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For the month of December I will not be posting Morning Glory every Tuesday and Thursday. It will be like a Christmas card...you'll never know when you might get one **grin**. I want to focus on my family and my Savior and take a much needed rest. Be blessed this remarkable season of the year. May you be filled to overflowing with His love.
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If you received Morning Glory via email, please go to the Morning Glory page to view a powerful music video of Steve Green singing, Immanuel.