God Is With Us

At Christmas time we often retell the story of the angel who visited Joseph to tell him that Mary would soon give birth to Jesus. As Matthew’s gospel reminds us, this fulfills prophecy from the prophet Isaiah that he will be called Emmanuel, which means God with us (see Matthew 1:23; Isaiah 7:14). This isn’t just a detail of the Christmas story; it reveals the important truth that God is with us.

My hunch is that our tendency is generally to think of God as distant, far away in the sky, looking on at life here on earth. It can be difficult to see God as actively involved in the details of our everyday life. Our present challenges surrounding coronavirus may create a new set of doubts about God’s presence.

Maybe we don’t think of Christmas this time of year, but God’s presence isn’t seasonal. Look for signs of God’s presence, even in your difficulties. Communicate with the ever-present God on a regular basis. Discover first-hand that God is with us!

Blessings,
Pastor Paul Cook