Emmanuel...God With Us

The virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Emmanuel. Isaiah 7:14
I can hardly believe it’s December 1. Here we are in advent season, the month to focus on Christ’s coming into the world as a newborn baby, on God wrapping himself in human flesh, taking on our vulnerabilities, our brokenness, to save us. He chose to walk our world for more than three decades. He came into the world to truly be with us as well as save us. The name of God Emmanuel, means “God With Us”. All month, I want to guide us around the Bible and focus on just this—that God is WITH us. As he was with those thousands of years ago, he is also with us! We are not alone. Today let’s take a few moments here to thank God for choosing to dwell among us.
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Father, our world is hurting with so much pain, sickness, and suffering. We need to know we are not alone in this pain. We need to have you with us, your power, your understanding.  As Moses begged God after the people had rebelled, so we beg you to stay with us, to never leave us because more than ever it feels that we need you, our Creator, our Almighty God. Thank you for sending Jesus, to fulfill this prophecy, born of a virgin, to by Emmanuel, God with us. Open our hearts to know what that means for us this Christmas season. Draw us even closer into your arms and be our strength, our wisdom, our hope each and every day. Thank you for not abandoning us, for never leaving us. 

​Taking it deeper: Take some time to think or journal about how your life would be or feel different if you were aware of God being present with you all the time. (Feel free to share your response in the comments, but no pressure...the point is for personal time with God.) Until tomorrow!