Immanuel

"Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel" (which means, God with us). - Matthew 1:23, ESV.

The book of Isaiah was written around 700 years before the birth of Christ. The passage in Matthew 1 is a repeating of the prophecy in Isaiah 7. The virgin birth and Jesus being the Messiah are foretold in Isaiah and recounted in the gospel of Matthew as the prophecy unfolds.

Certainly it is the most incredible of miracles that Mary, the mother of Jesus, was in fact impregnated by the Spirit of God (Matthew 1:20). Yet how much more miraculous it is for us as individuals that is 700 BC and again in around 50 AD, Jesus is named Immanuel, GOD WITH US!

Being one who has wrestled with addiction, adoption, sexual abuse, divorce, alcoholism and depression, it is fair to say that guilt and shame became a way of life. This pervading sense of not belonging plagued my early years and contributed greatly to my rebellion as a young man (which produces that much more guilt and shame).

But Jesus! I have learned to take claim of this portion of Matthew 1:23 to be extremely personal to me: Immanuel. As a matter of fact, the P.B. Fidler translation (not found in stores) reads "...they shall call His name Immanuel (which is translated GOD WITH ME!")

I can make it personal! This verse, this truth, can become specific and cause in me a great strength!

Lord Jesus please allow me to know You as MY personal Immanuel, GOD WITH ME!