“Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son,
and they shall call His name Emmanuel,”
which is translated,
“God with us.”
Matthew 1:23

At this time of year, the Christmas season, most people are amiable. Even those who normally are a little hard to get along with seem to reach down inside and muster up an ounce of cheer…but why? Why is this time of year any different than any other? It is because Christmas is the time of year that we not only celebrate the concept of love, but the birth of love. Love actually became flesh and dwelt among us. One of my favorite passages of scripture is Matthew 1:23 which says, “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.” Don’t you just love it…“GOD WITH US!” Before Jesus was born, man did not have direct access to God. They had to go through the High Priest. But God didn’t like it that way. He wanted to have a personal relationship with His children. He wanted to be touchable. So the very essence of His being came to earth in the form of a baby born to a virgin…not just any baby, but His own Son. Even the Prophet Isaiah in Old Testament times predicted it saying, “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.” (Isaiah 7:14) He goes on in the next chapter to say, “(Enemy), Devise your strategy, but it will be thwarted; propose your plan, but it will not stand, for God is with us.” (Isaiah 8:10)

I want you to know today that God is with YOU! When that baby was born in the City of Bethlehem so many years ago, God became accessible to you!  Immanuel…God with us! The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14)  “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.” (John 14:9) And like Isaiah, because of Immanuel, we can say to the enemy of our faith, “Devise your strategy, but it will be thwarted; propose your plan, but it will not stand, for GOD IS WITH US!” Glory to God in the highest!