Immanuel

Therefore the LORD Himself will give you a sign: the virgin will be with child and will give birth to a Son, and will call Him Immanuel. Isaiah 7:14

This Christmas season, the idea of “Immanuel” keeps coming back to me. I can’t leave it alone. I am struck by the mystery that surrounds this word. I just can’t let it go.

“God with us.” The very idea of it is pretty ridiculous. I mean, isn’t the whole point of being God the idea You’re bigger than al of these puny people, greater, set apart? God can do anything He wants. He created this entire universe just for His good pleasure. He definitely doesn’t need me.

And yet this all-present, all-knowing, all-powerful God chose to limit Himself to human form. He chose to become like me. And the part that I still can’t wrap my head around is the why—because He loves me and wants a relationship with me, and the only way to do that was to pay for my sin, because I can’t.

God with us, because He is for us. He wants good things for me. Around the world, in all the other religions, none of the other “gods” ever came to earth and took on human frailties, just to bring good to people. To test them, yes. To punish them, yes. To simply play mean tricks on them, absolutely. But to do good? Never. Only Jesus. Only this one “God with us” can be called “Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6) He is the ONLY good God.

Only Jesus. “The Word” of God—the very essence of Who He is—“became flesh and lived among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14)

He still dwells among us. He is still Immanuel—God with us. We must simply invite Him into where we dwell. We can choose to follow Him where He calls us. I can’t understand it. I am awed and humbled that the Mighty God, my Everlasting Father so desires a relationship with me. I can’t wrap my feeble brain around it. But I love Him, and I trust Him, and I am so grateful for my most precious Christmas gift—Immanuel, God with us.