DEC.23, 2013
God
With Us
Read: Matthew 1:18-25
Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they
shall call His name Immanuel, which is translated, “God with us.” —Matthew 1:23
His
presence in the room was obvious. Everyone else was dressed rather formally. He
had on a pair of jeans, a T-shirt, and a weathered baseball cap. I couldn’t
help but notice him as I addressed students that day in a seminary chapel in
Bucharest, Romania. I have no idea why he didn’t conform to the norms of seminary
attire, but I do remember his name.
At
the close of the meeting he came up to introduce himself. When I asked him his
name, he answered, “Immanuel.” I was surprised by his answer and asked if he
knew what that meant; he unashamedly replied, “Yes—‘God with us!’”
I’ve
often thought about that young man and how he stood out in the crowd. Just as
Jesus came to bring the presence of God into our world—“Immanuel . . . God with
us” (Matt. 1:23)—so too we are called to bring His presence into our world.
Jesus made that clear when He said, “As the Father has sent Me, I also send
you” (John 20:21).
This
Christmas, we can give the gift of God’s likeness through us. When our lives
reflect the God who lives in us, we can be different from the world, and that
difference can bless others with the transforming presence of His love and
grace.
The gift of God’s presence through you is your gift to the
world.
Source:
Our Daily Bread 2012
