Just over 2,000 years ago, Emmanuel, also called the Christ, changed the world.
In that moment when God became flesh, humanity watched prophecies unfold as hope was born.
Jesus, our Emmanuel, provided hope that sin and death wouldn’t always win
and mankind wouldn’t always feel so painfully alone.
What Does Emmanuel Mean in the Bible?
It’s a word written on countless Christmas cards and sung in some of our
most-loved carols.
In Scripture, it first appears in the Old Testament in Isaiah 7:14, which says,
“Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign;
The virgin will conceive, and give birth to a Son, and will call Him Emmanuel”.
The Lord Himself will do this, Scripture says.
In other words, this act, which occurred in the birth of Christ, was God-ordained
and God-accomplished.
This points to grace, which doesn’t come through human effort but rather through
relying on God to do what we humans cannot. This was the reason Christ came.
God GAVE us this child, named Emmanuel,
which literally means,
“with us is God,” or “God WITH us.”
He may seem distant.
It may even seem impossible this year for you to feel hopeful.
You might have lost your job.
Or maybe you’re feeling isolated from those you love.
You may have even grieved the loss of a family member or friend.
Though he may have felt far away to them,
God was so much closer than his people knew —
gently planning Jesus’ entrance into the world
in the most unexpected way.
Looking around, all you might be able to see right now is darkness.
If you try to adjust your eyes, blinking into the night, there seems to be no light.
The weight of sickness, death, injustice and pain perhaps, seem too heavy.
That’s why I love this idea of advent which is practiced only among Christians.
And yes, it comes from probably a more liturgical view, but has been so embraced
and now practice in homes and church gatherings across the world,
as families gather to contemplate and to pray and to spend quiet time discussing
when Jesus came as a child as the Messiah!
Emmanuel!!! God WITH Us!
Advent means "coming" or "arrival" and refers to the Christian season that begins four Sundays before Christmas,
where focusing on preparation for the celebration of Jesus's birth and his anticipated return is a beautiful thing!
It’s definitely better than the commercial glut of constant “buy, buy, buy,” and,
the overkill of sappy fantasy Christmas shows, as well as the pressurized giving of gifts to every boss, coworker,
friend and pet!
It’s a time of expectation, reverence and hope for many Christians!
I was reading through a Wycliffe advent devotional last evening,
and these words so struck me that I’m going to share them with you trusting that they too,
will move your heart to remember that Emmanuel, God …. IS with us!
No matter what may come
This excerpt of the devotional said,
“As we enter the Advent season, do you feel weary? You’re not alone.
Or maybe you’re just tired. Numb.
Ready to pull the covers over your head and try this whole "Christmas cheer" thing again
next year.
Don’t feel guilty.
Instead, acknowledge the very real darkness of this world and you’ll have eyes to see
Advent through the same lens as the people waiting for a Messiah thousands of years ago.
You could even say that being weary and worn out is an acceptable place from which t
o approach this Advent season.
Because Advent exists to remind us that, while darkness surrounds us and troubles exist,
the hope of Christmas isn’t far away.
The people of Israel hadn’t heard anything from God about their redeemer.
God’s chosen people must have cried out to him, asking how long it would be
before their hope, their salvation, would arrive!
It was too dark, and God seemed to be silent.
Has he felt that way to you this year? Silent?
Though he may have felt far away to them, God was so much closer than his people knew
—gently planning Jesus’ entrance into the world in the most unexpected way.
But at the appointed time, Jesus came — God with us in flesh and blood.
Born in Bethlehem, carried to Egypt, raised in Nazareth.
Son of Man and Son of God.
A humble child and a holy King.
Worshiped by some, rejected by many. Fully human, yet eternally divine.”
What beautiful and raw honesty in those words in that excerpt from the devotional!
Friends! Any way you look at it, Emmanuel was a living Divine Grace.
The infinite King, wrapped in the cloth of an infant.
The holy One, living among the fallen.
In Him, the impossible became real, not only in prophecy, but in His very presence.
When God stepped into our world,
“impossible” lost all meaning.
In Isaiah 42:16 it says,
“And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not;
I will lead them in paths that they have not known:
I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight.
These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them.”
Dear believer!
The darkness of this world has always tried encroach upon the joy and the hope of God
being with his people.
It hates that we cling to the light, and even though we cannot see or understand,
everything fully about the ONE who came and paid the price for us, yet we abandoned
our own hearts to him, trusting that he will guide and light our path.
It is in this practice that all of hell must bow its knee and tremble for the very fact
that Christ is in us and he is the hope of glory.
Someday we will return to the ONE who created us, but for now,
he has come to walk with us, to be with us, and his Holy Spirit is here to correct,
to guide, to convict and to advocate for us.
Let us cry out, “Oh Come! Oh Come Emmanuel! Oh come God!
Be with us, in us, and move through us
to help others who are trapped in the darkness!”
Let’s take time to pray together about all of this right now.
Lord God,
only you can see into our hearts and know
that under all the busy-ness of our lives ,
there is a deep longing
to make this season one that welcomes you
more deeply into our own lives.
Our hearts desire the warmth of your love
and our minds search for your Light in the midst of the darkness.
Help us to be peacemakers this season and to give special love to those
who disagree with us.
Please, Give us the strength and courage to forgive those who have hurt us
or who treat us dismissively.
Help us to free our hearts from the prison of anger and hurt.
Only you Lord can bless us,
protect us from all evil, and bring us rest in this weary world.
We thank you for being a God that IS with us!
Amen.
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" THE MESSENGER " - "The Advocate of Hope"
Mary Lindow
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