“Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us). Matthew 1:23

The name Immanuel is one that we primarily hear during the Christmas season. It means, “God with us”.

The backstory on this can be found in Matthew chapter 1. Verse 1:21 tells us that the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph and told him to name the baby that Mary was carrying, Jesus, because “He will save His people from their sin”. Verses 1:22 & 23 then say “²² All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: ²³ “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).

The prophet spoken of here is Isaiah. In Isaiah 7:14, we find that the text says, “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

As mentioned above, Immanuel means God with us… and Jesus is God. “I and the Father are one.” John 10:30.

Because God and Jesus are one, when Jesus came to earth in the form of that babe in Bethlehem, through Him, Immanuel becomes literally, “God with us”. “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:14.

The name Jesus is a Hebrew name meaning to deliver/to rescue.

When we look at the two names together, in terms of Jesus, we find that God is with us to deliver and/or rescue us.

As followers of Christ, if we think about this without pondering it, we might say, “Of course He is. He is my Savior and has delivered me from the penalty of my sin”.

The text doesn’t say God was with us or that God will make appearances in our lives. It also doesn’t say that God will deliver us from our sin and then we are on our own.

It says God is with us, to deliver and/or rescue us. Jesus is “God with us”.

As followers of Christ, He is, through the Holy Spirit, always present in us. “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever,” John 14:16.

And He has promised to deliver/rescue us. ““For thus says the Lord God: Behold, I, I myself will search for my sheep and will seek them out. As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his sheep that have been scattered, so will I seek out my sheep, and I will rescue them from all places where they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness.” Ezekiel 34:11-12.

I don’t know about you but I need rescuing and delivering EVERY DAY!

Jesus is with us and will not leave us. “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20.

When we follow after Him, He will rescue and deliver us from our sufferings and persecutions. The apostle Paul experienced that very thing. “You know how much persecution and suffering I have endured. You know all about how I was persecuted in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra—but the Lord rescued me from all of it.” 2 Timothy 3:11 (NLT).

This is a difficult time in all of our lives. In fact, these are tough times in general, but when we add in the virus, quarantine, economic hardships, and all that we will probably face going forward, it can become increasingly more and more difficult.

But, praise be to God, we have a rescuer! We also have a Father in Heaven who loves us. We have Immanuel (God with us).

He will not leave or forsake us. “It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed. Deuteronomy 31:8.

When our faith or strength begins to wane, we need only to remember – Immanuel. God is with us.

Father, I pray that today we would begin to recognize, in a more tangible way, that you are with us. Help us to seek you and find you. “You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:13. Help us to remember that you came that we would be rescued — not just rescued from sin and death, but from fear, hopelessness, lack of provisions, peace. And Father, as you provide peace and hope and joy, let us be prepared to give an answer to those who would ask as to it’s source, and as we do, be glorified Lord! Thank you Jesus that you are Immanuel! We pray this in your precious and holy name. Amen

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13.

If you do not know Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior and if you have been dealing with loneliness, fear, anxiety, etc. I promise you that Jesus is the source of peace and He wants to be with you. I pray that you would go to our Life Preserver page (https://forgiven-n-loved.com/life-preserver/) and pray the prayer that is outlined there. Once you have, please reach out to me at admin@Forgiven-N-Loved.com and let me know. I’d love to be in prayer for you.

Luv Ya!