Devotional : Immanuel - "God with us" in His Greatness (Mt: 1:23)

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“The virgin …will give birth to a Son, and they will call Him Immanuel” (Matthew 1:23)

There is a story about a boy who promised his fiancee that he was always only a call away. If ever she needed his presence, all she had to do was call. One day while facing a difficult situation, she did call and asked him to come over quickly. His response was, ‘Honey, I will climb the highest mountain to be with you. I will swim the deepest river to do so too. I will travel the longest distance to be with you another day. But sorry, I cannot come today’!!

God with us:

The name ‘Immanuel’ means, “God with us” (Matthew 1:23). It tells us of how God identified with man’s brokenness and came down to be with us, in the form of Jesus. It tells us that our God was willing to live and dwell among us so that we could experience His love and grace first-hand! I can imagine the Father telling Jesus as he was about to leave Heaven to be incarnated among men, “Son, as you live among them, give them ALL my love”! That’s exactly what Jesus did as he spread God’s love extravagantly! The fullness of His love was eventually seen through His sacrifice on Calvary.

Do you feel unloved today? Has loneliness crept over you as a result? Are you in need a faithful friend? Take heart from the fact that the name of Jesus our Savior, ‘Immanuel’, means, “God with us”. If you trust Him, He will identify with all your pain and loneliness and be with you always. He will never leave you. Receive His healing, grace and friendship now!

The song says,

God with us, revealed in us,
His name is called, Immanuel.

Prayer/Praise – Thank you Lord Jesus, for living among sinful man. Thank you for identifying with my sin and suffering. Your incarnation shows the magnitude of your love for me! Be with me in all of life’s journey and in all the challenges I face. Amen.