Throughout Advent, I will write and share a devotional on my blog. You can subscribe to the blog and receive the devotion each morning in your email.

December 4, 2023

“Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.”
Isaiah 7:14

I distinctly remember the Christmas season in the Presbyterian Church I attended when I was young. I remember the Christmas lights, the poinsettias, and the smell of melting wax from the candles. In that church, I learned to sing Christmas carols that proclaimed the birth of the Savior. Even as a child, I knew something was sacred about singing Silent Night by candlelight. I heard the familiar Christmas text about Jesus- that he will be called “Immanuel,” which means “God with us.”

The lights, the candles, the songs, and the Scriptures led to something transformational. I didn’t just hear that God was with us; I began to know that God was with me. Do you see the difference? Through the carols and the word, my faith was built on the solid foundation of Jesus, God with us. I learned that Jesus is with me because God wants a relationship.

This is an exciting development. God is not removed from the human experience. God is not in some far-off place. We are not left alone in our circumstances. God is with us in our celebrations, and God is with us in our sorrow. God is with us in our jobs, at our dinner tables, at the gym, and in the hospital room. Our earliest words about Jesus are that he is with us because he is Immanuel. God was with you yesterday, is with you today, and will never leave or forsake you.

The Christmas season can be filled with both joy and stress. It can be a time of quiet grief or overwhelming peace. God is with us through the Christmas season. Take time each day to recognize God’s presence in your life. Where did you see God act? How did you experience God’s presence and grace? May Jesus come as Immanuel in each of our lives.

God, who is with us,
Come into my life this Christmas season.
Give me eyes to see and ears to hear your presence
And activity in my life.
May others see you present in my words and deeds.
Amen.

Listen to the GOD WITH US sermon series from Avenue Church.