Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Immanuel

"And they will call him Immanuel—which means, "God with us." Matt. 1:23

One of my favorite themes of the Christmas story is Immanuel, God with us. The plan was designed at creation, before the first sin had ever been committed. The plan was for God, in the form of Christ, to leave heaven and all its glory and live among the lowest of the low on Earth. It was to be an escape from eternal death. It was to be salvation.


There is something so incredibly comforting about knowing that God is among us, deeply intertwined within the lives and hearts of His people. He's so attached to us that we can feel Him. This plan didn't call for God to raise his hand from Heaven and intervene. It was a divine displacement. The Lord of the universe physically moved from His heavenly kingdom to where we were, immersed in sin's darkness. And with him, He brought light, warmth, and mostly peace.


It's my prayer this holiday season that all of you feel Immanuel's presence with you in a very real way.