Emmanuel: God With Us
The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Emmanuel (which means ‘God with us’). Matthew 1:23
I have trouble waiting for good things—especially when I’m holding a Christmas gift I know someone will love. I want to give the gift as soon as it is wrapped. That small impatience reminds me of a much bigger waiting, God’s people waited so long for the Messiah. Generation after generation held onto promises, hoping God would finally send the One who would rescue and restore them.
When Jesus came, He was given a powerful name: Emmanuel.
Emmanuel means more than God visiting us or watching us from a distance. It means God chose to come very, very near. He stepped into our waiting, our fear, our joy, and our brokenness. The long-awaited Messiah didn’t arrive wrapped neatly in a bow—He arrived as a baby, inviting trust, patience, and hope.
Even now, we still wait. We long for Jesus to show up in our struggles, our questions, and our everyday lives. And Emmanuel reminds us that we don’t wait alone. God is with us in the middle of the longing, just as He was with His people in the silence before Christmas morning.
Jesus, Emmanuel, thank You for being God with us. Help us trust You in the waiting and recognize Your presence in our longing. Teach us patience, deepen our hope, and remind us that You are very near, residing in our hearts through faith, always. Amen.