EMMANUEL – GOD WITH US
“Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a Son, and they will call Him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’”
Matthew 1:23 (NLT)
What does it mean for God to be with you? Countless factors could affect your answer to this question. If you grew up in church and constantly heard about baby Jesus in the manger, then Matthew 1:23 may be the first thing that comes to your mind. If you didn’t meet God until you were older, your conversion experience may be your understanding of God drawing near to you. Today you may be closer to God than ever, feeling His love like a warm hug, or you may be going through hard circumstances that refuse to get better, questioning whether God is with you at all. If you’re fasting, God may seem further away than the burger you’re craving.
God knows what you’re feeling, wherever you are. He speaks to all these situations and more, which is why the Bible is filled with revelations, ruminations and reminders of his nearness:
“…I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Matthew 28:20 (NLT)
Come close to God, and God will come close to you.
James 4:8 (NLT)
The LORD is close to the brokenhearted; He rescues those whose spirits are crushed.
Psalm 34:18 (NLT)
When the cool evening breezes were blowing, the man and his wife heard the LORD God walking about in the garden. …
Genesis 3:8a (NLT)
The world isn’t God’s ant farm, where He observes humanity from afar, keeping His hands clean and leaving us to fend for ourselves. He’s constantly pursuing us, always listening and watching, ever there. This was already the case in the Old Testament, but the reality of Jesus is how God came to earth by becoming a man to show us the depth of His commitment to His presence in your life.
God became the human you could never be, died on a cross to save you from a debt you could never pay and rose from the grave to give you a life you could never live on your own. Satan will use your circumstances, your feelings, the world and any other force he can throw at you to make you believe God has abandoned you, doesn’t care or isn’t there. Fight those lies with the truth that Jesus is named Immanuel, the God who is with you. He identifies Himself by His nearness to you.
APPLICATION: Take a moment to be honest with yourself about God’s presence in your life in this moment. Does He feel near?
- If so, thank Him for the reality of that nearness and give Him glory for being a God who’s present. Think of people in your life who need to experience that nearness and pray for them.
- If not, take another look at the verses above. Which experience of God’s presence do you need the most right now? Preach that verse to yourself as a reminder that God is with you, even if you may not feel it at this moment, and ask God for that nearness.
PRAYER: Lord, thank You for being near me, regardless of whether I feel it or not. Make Your presence real to me. Give me a spirit to receive it and a heart that shares it with others. You are good!
“… Our Father in heaven…” Matthew 6:9b (NLT)
- What do You want to say to me today as my Father?
“… may Your name be kept holy.” Matthew 6:9c (NLT)
- What do You want to reveal to me about Your power today?
“May Your Kingdom come soon.” Matthew 6:10a (NLT)
- Help me make Your priorities my priorities today.
“Give us today the food we need,” Matthew 6:11 (NLT)
- Is there anything specific You want me to do with my time or the people I’m around today?
“and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us” Matthew 6:12 (NLT)
- Reveal to me anyone I need to forgive or ask for forgiveness.
“And don’t let us yield to temptation…” Matthew 6:13a (NLT)
- Is there anywhere I’m vulnerable to temptation?