All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”—which means, “God with us.” Matthew 1:22-23
Christmas is Immanuel
Do you remember what it was like when you were little and afraid of the dark? We imagined all kinds of nasties hiding in the shadows waiting for us to be nearly asleep before they attacked with fangs and claws exposed. Every monster imaginable was lurking in our closet, prowling in dark, or hiding under the bed. Nowhere it seemed were we safe. Do you ever remember waking up in the middle of the night to the terrifying reality that you are all alone in the dark, vulnerable, and defenseless and all you could do was scream?
Today our monsters are not so colorful, but they are just as deadly. They whisper in your ear that you’ll fail yet again, the everyone else is better, smarter, prettier than you are or will ever be, and that you’re really all alone because no one cares and that you’re the butt of ever joke. If you’ve ever cried yourself to sleep, or had a restless anxious night because of fears both real or imagined, then you know what I’m talking about.
When we’re little we instinctively know what to do, we cry for help and usually mom or dad will come to the rescue, turn the lights on, hold us tight and chase away the nasties. When we’re older and facing too many bills and not enough income, facing medical tests we hadn’t planned on, or dealing with a strained marriage or family relationship, who do we cry out to then?
Savior (seɪvjə) a person who resuces another person or a thing from danger or harm
Christmas is Immanuel. Christmas means God is with us. Not distant. Not detached. Not disinterested. But with us. He’s so near that He is right beside us, even within us through the indwelling presence of His Spirit. Always. At all times. In every season. Through every circumstance. He will never leave us. Never forsake us. Never abandon us. From before the dawn of time God has made His desire clear. He longs to live in unbroken fellowship with us. And His love was such that even when sin brought about a separation He sent His Son to bring about reconciliation. God wanted to be with us so much that He was willing to die for us. Now that’s love!!! Remember that truth the next time you feel alone and forgotten. No matter the situation or storm God is still right there with you. At all times and in every trouble He remains Immanuel. He is God with us. This is Christmas.
“He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me.” 2 Samuel 22:20
Read the lyrics and then listen to the song.
Cry out to Jesus – Third Day
To everyone who’s lost someone they love
Long before it was their time
You feel like the days you had were not enough
when you said goodbye
And to all of the people with burdens and pains
Keeping you back from your life
You believe that there’s nothing and there is no one
Who can make it right
Chorus
There is hope for the helpless
Rest for the weary
Love for the broken heart
There is grace and forgiveness
Mercy and healing
He’ll meet you wherever you are
Cry out to Jesus, Cry out to Jesus
For the marriage that’s struggling just to hang on
They lost all of their faith and love
They’ve done all they can to make it right again
Still it’s not enough
For the ones who can’t break the addictions and chains
You try to give up but you come back again
Just remember that you’re not alone in your shame
And your suffering
Chorus
When your lonely (when you’re lonely)
And it feels like the whole world is falling on you
You just reach out, you just cry out to Jesus
Cry to Jesus
To the widow who suffers from being alone
Wiping the tears from her eyes
For the children around the world without a home
Say a prayer tonight
I absolutely love this song! It’s a great reminder that we’re NEVER alone, and no matter what we’re going through….God is ALWAYS with us!