FEBRUARY 21

OUR PERSONAL PROMISES

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John 14:21

“He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.”

1 Corinthians 6:19-21

“Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? 20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.”

Ephesians 3:17

“that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love,”

Isaiah 6:1

“In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple.”

Psalm 103:11

“For as the heavens are high above the earth, So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him;”

Matthew 11:29

“Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.”

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Our book for this month  is called “100 NAMES OF GOD”  written by Christopher D. Hudson.  Each day we’ll take one Hebrew name for God as given in the Bible to study and relate to.

IMMANUEL

GOD WITH US

“Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign:  The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call Him Immanuel.”  Isaiah 7:14

It’s a favorite verse at Christmastime, but the promise of Isaiah 7:14 can empower our lives all year long.  IMMANUEL, “God with us” (Matthew 1:23) – what a startling, staggering thought!  The ancient Hebrews envisioned God as high and lifted up on His heavenly throne, or perhaps sequestered in the Most holy Place at the temple in Jerusalem.  Either way, God was thought to be more “aloof from” than “with” His people.  

Sadly, a lot of people still feel this way about God.

How tragic that we forget about God walking and talking with Adam and Eve in the Garden in Genesis 3:8-9.  Even after the fall, He continued to graciously come near to Old Testament believers.  He was very much ‘with” Abraham, Moses, Elijah, and others.  Despite His holiness, God drew close to sinful creatures and made Himself accessible to His people.

The prophecy of “God with us” was fulfilled at the coming of Christ.  Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary, making Him fully God and fully man.  The apostle John described the momentous event of the incarnation this way:  “The word became flesh and made His dwelling among us.” ( John 1:14).  Literally the eternal Son of God “pitched His tent” among mankind.

Because He lived among us, Jesus is able to be a high priest who knows what it is like to be human:

Hebrews 4:15 ~ ~

“For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.”

Through His work on the cross, He opened a way of unfettered access to God – available anytime and anywhere.  One day we will see God’s face as we walk with Him again.  Revelation 22:4 ~ ~

“They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads.”

For you today, IMMANUEL is more than a Christmas saying.  It means God came close in Christ, and did all that is necessary to bring us back to Himself.  In Christ, God came  NEAR US,  to be WITH US, to die FOR US, so that He might, by His Spirit, live IN US.

Wonder at the promise of IMMANUEL today.

God came near to us when we could not come near to Him.

God wants to be with you, close to you.  How can embracing God’s presence make a difference in your life today?

PRAYER

Thank You, Lord God, that You came and dwelled AMONG US in order to die FOR US, and live IN US by Your Spirit!  Amen

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