“See, the virgin will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and they will name him Immanuel, which is translated ‘God is with us.’” – Matthew 1:23

How would you feel about a friend who would not spend time with you unless you set aside special moments to only be with them; you must put aside everyone else and stop everything you are doing in order to see them? You would probably see this friend as incredibly selfish, and you would probably slowly spend less and less time with them over the years. Unfortunately, this describes exactly how we usually see God. We think that, in order to spend time with God, you must remove all distractions and concentrate on nothing but him. Don’t get me wrong, alone time with God is vital to our relationship with him. But if you think this is the only time he wants to be with you, you will slowly stop talking to him.

Throughout Scripture, we see God with his people in the middle of the battle, in the middle of the furnace, and in the middle of the storm. One of the beautiful things about the name given Jesus at his birth, “Emmanuel,” is the meaning of that name: “God with us.” God has always been a God who is with us in every moment of life; and the baby Jesus is the perfect, most pure representation of God’s intimate relationship with mankind. So, during this hectic season, know that God is with you at the mall, in the traffic, at the Christmas party, and everywhere else you may go. Because of Christ’s work on the cross, the presence of God lives in the believer. Make an effort during the chaos of this season to recognize and enjoy his presence in every situation.

Heavenly Father, You are our incredibly intimate and loving God. Make Your presence clear to us in every peaceful, joyful, chaotic, and stressful moment this Christmas season.

In Christ’s Service,

Pastor Shane Cannon