“Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.” [Matthew I:23 NKJV]
On the surface, the doctrine of the virgin birth is somewhat ludicrous. The idea that something invisible would become visible is the essence of science fiction. Therefore many have rejected the idea that God came to us in the form of a baby born of a chaste virgin girl.
Yet some understand the uniqueness of the incarnation and why God became human. For millennia God sent prophets. Many had spiritual gifts. Many had the Holy Spirit. Yet many of these had an incomplete or inaccurate understanding of the nature of God himself.
Many missed their Immanuel because they believed he would be like the God that they imagined. They believed that he would be a warrior deliverer like King David. These most needed to see Immanuel. Yet they stood against him because he was not like the God they envisioned.
I love the way that Jesus revealed God to be Immanuel. Not just God with the religious folks. Not only with the (so called) righteous. Jesus revealed God to be a friend of sinners. A compassionate healer. A loving teacher. A suffering son. Immanuel showed God to us in that way.
Immanuel. You are with us still Lord. Help us to know how near you are.
... this devotion is part of the z2a bible words series.
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