After Matthew tells us that the virgin birth took place in fulfillment of God’s word (see yesterdays devotional), he shares the prophesy to which he was referring:  “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God with us’).”  (Matthew 1:23)

Immanuel!  God with us. That is always said as if it’s a good thing.   My friend and colleague, Pastor Chris Baker, recently pointed out that whether or not, “God with us,” is a good thing depends entirely on who God is.  That is truly a profound thought.

The reality is, that for most all the pagan world, “god with us,” was not a good thing!  Pagan gods were known to be selfish, uncaring, unmerciful, and capricious.  But the one true God, well that’s a different story.  The one true God is a holy, just, merciful, and loving God!  He is the kind of God that makes him being with us a truly, absolutely, wonderful thing!  We celebrate, “God with us,” because of who God is.