The thought of Immanuel, “God with us,” is too enormous and wonderful to fully comprehend in this life, but in the past few weeks that thought has been particularly personal and precious to me. A few days ago, I sat in the car waiting for my husband to emerge from Starbucks with cups of delicious coffee. Without thinking, I started singing, “O come, O come, Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel,” and was taken by surprise at the depth of emotion immediately stirred by those few words. The joy that He has come, and the longing for Him to make Himself more fully known in the earth, and then to finally come once more—pour out in tears.

Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel Isaiah 7:14. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins. All this took place to fulfill what the Lord has spoken by the prophet: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel (which means, God with us) Matthew 1:21-23.

Do I/we really believe that God is with us? Moment by moment? Unseen, but really here? Once while driving on an icy road (carefully and slowly, I might add), my car started spinning like a top, totally out of control, and toward a precipice. I knew for certain that I was either headed for heaven or the hospital. I said, “Jesus, help me!,” and had an unbelievable sense that He was with me as surely as if I had seen Him in the passenger seat next to me. When the car finally came to a stop, I was neither hurt nor dead. The snow that had accumulated by the sliding of the tires toward the precipice served to stop the car at the edge, and I was safe. When I remember that incident, I am again thankful that God was with me in such a distinct way. But here’s the thing: that He is with us is most distinct in Isaiah’s prophecy, “for He will save His people from their sins.” Where there was darkness, He has made Himself our Light. We were hopeless, He became our Hope. We were filthy and naked, He clothed us with His own righteousness.

Spurgeon writes: Immanuel–God with us in our nature, in our sorrow, in our daily work, in our punishment, in our death, and now with us, or rather we with Him, in resurrection, ascension, triumph, and Second Advent splendor.

All the good gifts of this season and every other day of the year that come from His hand are to be enjoyed, but they pale in comparison to the wonder and glory of Jesus Himself. Immanuel! God with us!