God With Us

 God With Us

“Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet: See, the virgin will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and they will name him Immamuel, which is translated “God is with us.” Matthew 1:22-23

The birth of the Messiah. The long awaited promise 700 years before it came to be. “Therefore, the Lord himself will give you a sign: See, the virgin will conceive, have a son, and name him Immanuel. Isaiah 7:14 In a time where it seemed hopeless God spoke through this prophet about what was to come. God spoke and it happened. 

What does that mean God is with us?

We are invited into God’s story. When we make that decision to stop living for ourselves and live our lives following Jesus he begins to lead us and direct our ways. It was always about us being in relationship with God and Jesus is the one way to the Father. 

I remember my life before living for Jesus. Do you? We don’ t have to have a dramatic story of redemption but we all have stories of how that “light bulb” moment when we started realizing it isn’t about us. It never was. I used to think living my life on my own was my prerogative and no one was meant to tell me what to do. And God is His Mercy kept putting those people in my life that kept pointing me back to Jesus. “Thank you Jesus for those people who kept praying.” 

I think about my life before knowing the love of God. Feelings of shame, regret, and things I wished would just fall away to do the same thing over and over. To carry around lies and guilt and wear them like they owned me. When I began to live for Jesus I could take those lies and give them to him knowing he would meet me in that. Getting to know the love of my Father and His heart for me. Do you know how much God loves you?  

Not just now in this moment but in the future moments where you will forget and start to go on your own. The ones when you will get all sidetracked and start slipping into those old ways and want to put those things back on that have already been removed as far as the east is to the west. “I pray that he may grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with power in your inner being through his Spirit, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. I pray that you, being rooted firmly established in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the length and width, height and depth of God’s love, and to know Christ’s love that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” Ephesians 3:16-19 Slow down and read that verse again. His promise was made to us. 

It is an invitation to allow him to be my Shepherd. The shepherds were watching and waiting that night for the promised Messiah. They were waiting for the sign that they had been told about and had heard about. The good news and great joy would be seen that night Jesus was born. But the story doesn’t stop there. Love was born that night. God with us. 

Jesus,

You are with us. Wrap your word of truth around our hearts and minds. You deserve all the praise Jesus. Remind us to keep our eyes on you Jesus. You are the Author and Perfecter of our faith King Jesus and we are your Beloved.

Amen