God's richest blessing – his presence

​Something really different was going on in Mary’s life. While she was engaged to Joseph, but sometime before the marriage, she discovered that she was pregnant. In those days a woman could be stoned for having sex outside of marriage (Deut. 22). However, Joseph was a good man so he decided not to press charges but just have the marriage annulled.  Then something unusual happened: an angel appeared to him and explained that all this was happening in fulfillment of a prophecy by Isaiah. The prophet had written of the child and that he was to be named Emmanuel, which means “God is with us.” Jesus, the baby born to the virgin, Mary, was the fulfillment of that prophecy. He came and has been “with us” ever since.
       The ever-present Jesus is a remarkable reality. The God who created out of nothing everything that now exists, is with us, right now! Picture a great king rising from his throne, walking out of the palace and going down to some place under the bridge to stay with the outcasts there. They are the human race in Adam who decided to leave the Garden to be free of God’s restrictions, only to find themselves ultimately in a pig sty of sin. But the story does not stop there. What happened is beautifully set forth in a hymn of the early Christian church. Philippians 2:6-11 portrays God’s redemptive actions through his Son, Christ Jesus, all because he wanted to be “with us.” Speaking of Jesus, the hymn says, 

“Although he was God, he did not regard that as something he had to cling to.
     Instead, he emptied himself by taking the form of a slave and was born into the         human race to be one of us.  
He humbly walked the path of obedience all the way to the cross where he died a           criminal’s death.
As a result, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the                  name above any other.
In honor of that name, every being in heaven, on earth, and in the underworld will            fall on their knees, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to            the glory of God the Father.”

“God is with us,” what an awesome reality. He is with us in our difficulties and with us as we lift our arms in praise. When we lamented, “If only someone would understand and care about what’s happening in our life,” he was “with us” to comfort and encourage. When we found ourselves excited about what was happening in life, he sat quietly by and watched with a smile as we raised our flag of heaven with its proud insignia, “Emmanuel” – and everyone knew that “God was with us.”
      God fulfills his promises. Are you aware just now that he is “with you?” To prove it, ask him something and he will respond. May not be exactly what you expected, but he heard you. How could it be otherwise, since God is always “with us” How do I know that “God is with me?” I just checked and he said, “Why did you have to ask?” He is here!