“Behold, the Virgin shall be with child and shall bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel, which translated means, ‘God with us.’”-Matthew 1:23

I was five years old when I was asked to play the role of Mary in our small, rural church’s Sunday school Christmas program. The stinky church basement room with the upright piano and the cold, waxed linoleum floor was where I rehearsed the little song I would sing. We spent all day Saturday going over our memorized lines and practicing the many songs. There was an excitement in the air as moms scurried about to keep kids in line and performing perfectly. My Mary costume was a white tunic with a piece a twine tied at my waist, and a blue veil for my head; the veil was my favorite. As I stood in front of the full church, singing a sweet song, it’s as if God was smiling down on me. I felt great peace and thought God must love me to allow me to play Mary. It was the first time I sensed God nearness—Immanuel, God with us.

God has many names; Immanuel is my favorite. When we have an awareness of God being always present, it changes us. God is not harsh, demanding, or ready to clobber us when we mess up. He is kind, gentle, and patient waiting to be invited close. He is consistently inviting us to rely on Him. It’s in the surrendering where we feel Him nearest. He whispers to our hearts, “invite me in and make me your home.”

God with us….

in our pain

in our doubt

in our waiting

in our unanswered prayers

in our deepest grief

in our wandering

in our broken relationships

in our financial lack

in our emotional distress

in our sick bodies

Our circumstances do not dictate God’s Presence. When things get challenging, it does not mean He’s left us. It simply means we have to learn to shift our focus from our problems to Him. When we shift our gaze to His face, we will sense Him near. We have to guard our hearts from bitterness and un-forgiveness because this causes us to loose sight of God completely.

When we understand God is with us, each moment, there’s no storm or difficulty we can’t navigate. He will bring us through. His Presence is our greatest hope. Learn to look for Immanuel in your ordinary, everyday. Yes, He came at Christmas, and He will never leave you now.