God with Us

It was about 400 years from the last prophetic voice of the Old Testament, Malachi, until the birth of Jesus. Darkness consumed Israel. They didn’t hear from God. Oppressors continually ruled over them: Persia, Greece, Egypt, Syria, and Rome.

The outlook was bleak, but the Jews hoped for the day the Messiah, their savior, would liberate them from the oppressive Roman regime.

They longed for the days of King David and Solomon when Israel reigned supreme. They anticipated a modern-day Joshua to conquer and rid the promised land of unclean gentiles.

But instead of a mighty warrior, they were given a baby boy.

Jesus was born in a grimy and dirty manger to a low-income family. People snickered and gossiped about His parents, who got pregnant before they were married. Jesus would have been perceived as a child born from sin.

But why would the Lord of All come naked into the world? Why would He choose to be utterly reliant upon human parents, like our own sons and daughters, to provide Him with warmth, food, and shelter?

Because He came to be Immanuel—God with us.

Even though Israel thought they needed military deliverance, what they truly needed was healing of a sinful condition. They needed a doorway that would allow them 24/7 access to the throne room of their Creator. They needed God with them to walk in the cool of the day, as was always intended with Adam and Eve in the garden.

Some of us may have the same mindset as Israel. We’re looking for problems to be fixed, for situations to be overthrown, for the outside circumstances to change, and then we’ll be happy. But we already have access to everything we’ll ever need.

This Christmas season, be conscious of “God with Us.” Rejoice as the angels who exclaimed “glory to God in the highest,” that we don’t have to wander in darkness as Israel did, without the voice of God.

“For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” -Luke 2:11

“…you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” -Matthew 1:21

Immanuel, the one who heals the brokenhearted, gives liberty to captives, and comforts those who mourn, has come and will never leave us nor forsake us.

We can celebrate Christmas each and every day, as Jesus walks and talks with us now and forever more.