The month of December generally brings a conversation between God and me where I seek guidance and direction for the coming year. Sometimes images come to mind, other times I get words or phrases.

In December 2019, I had an overwhelming sense of the word Immanuel, God is with us. My initial response was to disregard what I was hearing. The holidays were upon us, and in the season of Advent, the sentiment was all around. However, as the sense only became stronger, I embraced it. God with us couldn’t be bad to meditate on, even if I wasn’t hearing clearly. 

Then, 2020 hit. I said, “Lord, I understand,” and I was overwhelmed with the graciousness of God to put Immanuel at the forefront of my prayers.

It’s been five years since that conversation. Every year since, I’ve asked for a new word, and every year it clearly remains Immanuel and the faithful reminder that God is still with us.

To grasp the “withness” of God is to embrace the witness of God in the flesh. Jesus, the Christ child, prophet, preacher, is also the redeemer, savior, and present Lord. If you know the Christmas story, you know he came to be with all—those who are forgotten, lonely, experiencing abundance, losing hope. We all need a God who sees us, a God who is with us, a God who saves. 

Immanuel. He is with us. Take a moment to soak that in. He is not far off. He is not distant. He does not withhold. He does not pull away. He is present. He is for us in all the best ways. He is near not just in this holy season, but in all our days.

When there is illness … Immanuel, God is with us.
When there is cause to fear … Immanuel, God is with us.
When there are moments of heartbreak … Immanuel, God is with us.
When there are reasons to celebrate … Immanuel, God is with us.

Reflection:

  • Take a moment to meditate on the statements above.
  • Ask God if there have been times when you doubted his withness.
  • Ask God to show you how he has been and will continue to be faithful to you and yours.

Prayer:

Lord, thank you that you are not far off. You are present with us regardless of feeling or circumstance. We ask for your Holy Spirit to guide us into a deeper understanding of what it means to be with you and you with us. Show us how to live in and embrace your love. Amen.