O Come, O Come, Emmanuel...

God with us.

I am coming to understand that all of life is a love story. It is the tale of God’s love and anguish as He pursues us and waits for our response.

In the beginning of time, He created Adam and Eve, and there were no barriers to obstruct the love and intimacy that flowed between them. He came to meet with them and walk with them, and He was present in an intimate way which was completely unadulterated. But Adam and Eve chose to sin, and as shame quickly filled their once pure souls, they hid from their all-knowing Creator. He knew exactly where they were, yet still He loved them enough to come out to the garden and search for them. 

“Adam? Eve? Where are you?”

God needs nothing; and still He pursues and desires to be with us. This is evident beginning in the Garden of Eden and continuing to the promise of the Messiah as His people waited for Emmanuel, or literally "God with us." 

God in pursuit again left the perfection, beauty, and holiness of Heaven to come and live among us. Upsetting all expectations, He entered this world as a baby surrounded by livestock in a stable. As He grew, he spent time caring for all types of people even the destitute, the sick, and other social outsiders. The religious leaders were angry that Jesus would break their rules, and that He would speak with and often even physically touch these “unclean” people. Their hatred toward Him grew, until they eventually beat and murdered Him. 

But this was His purpose – death in our place. Punishment for our sin was received by the sinless One. The penalty was paid, and sin no longer blocked the path of God’s love for us. “Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death” (Romans 8:1-2).

And once again God could be with us.

Before Jesus left this world, he told His followers that it was good for Him to go away, so that the Spirit could come and live in them. He refers to the Spirit as the “counselor.” The word He used literally means, “the One who walks alongside.”

The God Who walked with Adam and Eve in the garden had now found a way, through great personal sacrifice, to once again walk with us. For “...the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us” (Romans 5:5). Father, Son, and Holy Spirit -- each desiring to be with us.

God with us -- it's at the very core of what Christmas is. Because we have been set free from sin to be with Him, may we take time to reflect on Who He is and to worship Him with our families in the days ahead this Christmas!

"...behold, the virgin shall be with child and shall bear a son, and they shall call his name "Emmanuel," which translated means, "God with us." Isaiah 7:14