truth is... {God with us.}

truth is…

I was reminded as of late that this time of year I remember why I’ve become thankful for my “grandma”  name over the years. I can’t sing “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” or hear “Behold A Virgin Shall Conceive” from Handel’s “Messiah” or read the Christmas story without seeing my name pop up in the Bible: Emmanuel.

don’t get me wrong or call me a crazy here before you hear me out. it catches my attention every time, because unlike all of the Mary’s and Grace’s in the world, I NEVER see my name in a church service unless I royally biffed something or I’m supposed to be on diaper duty in the nursery. it catches me by surprise, and like any normal girl, I wonder what cool thing my name could mean since it’s a part of Christ’s name. (turns out it means “one who is whole, or complete one”…which makes sense considering the nature of God as self-sufficient, but oh, the irony considering the post prior to this one…) then I take my I’m-a-big-girl-and-this-is-real-life pill and think about what that really means. Emmanuel: God with us.

God –good—holy and loving. Transcendent and imminent, omniscient, sovereign, and good. Personal, yet infinite. Creator of the ends of the universe, even the ones we will never see. Sustainer of all life. Preserver of his children. Keeper of the stars and sun and moon. Bringer of the dawn every morning and the seasons every year. Signer of the pages of history. THIS very God is the God we’re speaking of. The righteous God, whose very nature is perfectly contrary to sin. The God who, in perfection and perfect justice, has every right to crush me for my sins. “If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand?” (Ps. 130:3)

with

us. humans—created imago Dei. like God, possessing personality, creativity, transcendence, intelligence, and morality. capable of knowing God, communicating with God, loving God—through his son. but unlike God from birth, using our abilities to curse him. by nature being children of wrath and sons of destruction. spurning his face and chasing selfish desires that will not ultimately satisfy, yet being so proud that we would love ourselves to destruction.

that’s right. God was with us, in human form.  He sent Christ, who walked this earth, breathed our air, knew our hardships, carried our sorrows. He sent his only Son—turned his back on his only Son—to be the very object of his wrath saved to be spent on mankind for their rebellion. and what did we do? we mocked him. we falsely accused him, beat him, crucified him, and buried him in the ground like a disease we were finally rid of. but death couldn’t hold a spotless lamb, no, that was just the means. the means by which Christ was to enter the very gates of death, and once for all take its power. and when it was completely done, he rose from the grave with all of the fullness of the Father’s glory, with life eternal for all who believe. and then he ascended to heaven, where he awaits his final reign on the earth. God was with us. but that’s not all.

Emmanuel does not simply mean that God was with us and has now returned to his center court seats to watch the rest of the game unfold. it means so much more than that. it’s a promise. for the believer, it’s the promise that God, who lives in heaven above, who sent his Son that we might have peace while on earth, will reside in the hearts of those who lay claim to his promises and He will never leave.

Emmanuel meant God with us, forever.