Monday, March 26, 2012

Therefore the Lord himself will give you this sign:
the virgin shall be with child, and bear a son,
and shall name him Emmanuel,
which means "God is with us!

Isaiah 8:10

     Is it Christmas?  Didn't we hear this a couple of months ago?  Is there so little in Scripture that we need to repeat so soon?  What is this passage doing in the middle of Lent?  No, it isn't Christmas.  Yes, we did hear this a couple of months ago.  No, there is quite a lot in Scripture.  Friends, this passage is in the middle of lent because we need to hear it again, and again, and again.

     God is with us.  Jesus was born a human, lived as a human, died as a human.  This is the Good News.  We have a God that is with us and knows exactly what it feels like to be us.  We have a God that has experienced confusion, joy, fear, excitement, sadness, passion, love and betrayal.  We have a God that loves us so intensely and thoroughly that as a human he was willing to die for us.  We have a God with such power that death is not the final answer.  No, through the resurrection of Jesus, we are promised eternal life in the presence of God.

     But, God was not only with us in the past with Jesus, or in the future when we've passed into eternal life, but God is with us here and now through the power of the Holy Spirit.  The Spirit that lies within each and everyone of us is Emmanuel - God with us.  She connects us with our Creator because she is one with God.  We are not alone, my friends, God is with us each and every day, each and every moment - always available, always eager to guide, always there to uphold.  We are loved, cherished, and desired by a present God.  Can we ever hear this truth enough?

Prayer:  Emmanuel, you are indeed present in our lives.  Open our eyes, open our hearts to this truth.  Make us so aware of this truth that we live lives of confidence, forgiveness, courage, hope and love - lives that will glorify you.