On the 25th of December every year, billions around the world celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. It is a time of joy, love, and reflection. Over two thousand years ago, God, out of the love He has for us, sent His precious Son, Jesus, to die for our sins. Indeed, “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13 KJV).
One of the most common words used during Christmastime is
Emmanuel. You hear it in hymns and sermons and see it in greeting cards. Emmanuel (also spelled Immanuel) is a Greek name that means “God with us.” It appears just three times in the Bible: a prophecy in Isaiah 7:14, again in Isaiah 8:8, and once in the New Testament in
Matthew 1:23.
“The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God with us’).”
– Matthew 1:23 (NIV)
John 14:16
“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever—”
Indeed when Jesus walked the earth it was literally God walking among us. Christ said, “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30). He also said, “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father” (John 14:9). Jesus is God in flesh and blood.
During Christ’s earthly ministry, He lived among us, teaching us secrets of the Kingdom and healing our infirmities. After His resurrection, Scripture says He returned to heaven. However, He didn’t leave us alone. He asked God to send us another gift—the Holy Spirit.
“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever—” (John 14:16)
You may sometimes feel like you’re alone in this world. Maybe you’ve tried to share your struggles with others but no one seems to understand you. Know that although humans don’t understand you, the Holy Spirit does. He was sent for that exact reason; to be your comforter, helper, and
source of joy and peace.
‘As I was with Moses so I will be with you’
Moses was someone who understood first hand what it means to have God at your side every step of the way in life. He was chosen to lead the Israelites out of Egypt and into the Promised Land. It was an arduous task, but God saw him through.
God was with Moses as he led hundreds of thousands of people out of Egypt, through the Red Sea, and into the wilderness as they journeyed on to Canaan. Our Lord cared for them every step of the way. He protected them, provided food and water, and for 40 years the clothes and shoes they wore never wore out.
After Moses died, Joshua was chosen to take his place. But Joshua felt inferior to Moses and unqualified to be the type of leader Moses had been. But God thought otherwise. He told Joshua: “No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Joshua 1:2).
A new dawn
You’re never alone. If you have the Holy Spirit, you have Jesus with you at all times. He will give you strength when you’re weak, wisdom when you’ve run out of ideas, and guidance when you lose your way.
Your best days are in front of you, even though it may not be clear right now. It’s a new dawn in your life. God will restore everything the devil stole from you. Hang on to His promises. As He told Joshua: “As I was with Moses, so I will be with
you.”
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