"Immanuel"

They called His name Immanuel,

But until then, no one could tell,

Because of just how far we fell,

Or if by grace we could be well.

The generations hoped and prayed,

But still the Son in heaven stayed,

It was not time, some hopes would fade,

But some knew our debt would be paid.

And then the word like ne’er before,

Came right through the virgin’s door,

And told her something strange and more,

That shook her up down to the core.

She would by the Lord conceive,

So all could then His word receive,

If they, like her, would just believe,

All sin and strife He would relieve.

The same to Joseph, the angel told,

As sorrow all across him rolled,

The ancient prophet from of old,

“God with us,”  both near and bold.

And so the two together they,

To Bethlehem soon made their way,

And while there in the stable’s hay,

The babe was born, first Christmas day.

He the One that God had sent,

Satisfy the world’s sick bent,

To give us back all we had spent,

And turn us from the way we went.

O Lamb of God, the shining Light!

How God will love with all His might,

Deliver us from sin’s dark night,

‘Cause we are precious in His sight.

Don’t let the Christmas come and go,

Without His Holy Spirit’s flow,

His love is real and all should know,

God’s present in a Christmas bow.

“For the Lord your God is living among you…” (Zephaniah 7:17, NLT)

Where is God? How close is He to us? Paul once said that “in Him we live and move and have our being.” Pretty amazing, right? The Psalmist asked, “where can I go to escape Your Spirit?” Even if he made his bed in hell, still God was there. The promise through the prophet Isaiah was that the Messiah would bring God closer than ever before. God’s Son would actually be named “Immanuel” which means “God with us.” If God is with us, why all this? What? Trouble, sin, pain, chaos, and confusion. Yet, He is, and because of Jesus’ incarnation and the gift of the Holy Spirit, closer than the air we breathe. God has come through a virgin’s womb, entered the human race, and died a sinner’s death for us all. He was raised and now offers to indwell us by His Spirit. Close indeed, and if we cooperate, will experience His closeness.

Lord, help us receive Your presence and power into our lives, in Jesus’ name.

Photo by Kirstie Lambert, used by permission. Thanks, Kirstie, and God bless you.