Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
The number of days before Christmas is quickly dwindling down. Where has the time gone? As we get closer to the day we celebrate the birth of Jesus, I wonder if Mary thought about how quickly the time went. The time she carried the Christ child in her womb. The time she saw Him take his first step. The time she watched Him teach in the temple. The precious time He spent on this earth. The time He suffered on the cross for my sin.
Jesus had so many names during his lifetime. One of my favorites is Immanuel, which in Hebrew means "God is with us". Jesus came to be God living and breathing on the earth among His people. Christ's sacrifice on the cross is my salvation, but His time on the earth is my delight. He was God, sitting with us in the temple, walking with us in the streets, eating at our wedding feasts. To me, that is awesome and powerful.
Though Christ ascended into heaven, He is still Immanuel. We can see Jesus all around us, if we only chose to look. And for many people, we, yes you and I, can be the presence of Jesus to people who have no other way to know Him. We can do this by sharing His word, showing His love, and being a light to those in the darkness.
So, as we prepare to sit down for Christmas dinners, or open presents, or even bake our last minute cookies, take a moment to reflect on Immanuel, the powerful presence of Jesus among us, and think of how we can show this to those in need.
Merry Christmas.
