God is with Us
Therefore, the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel ~ Isaiah 7:14
Have you ever felt like God wasn’t with you? Have the circumstances of your life ever made it seem that God couldn’t possibly be at work – at least not for your good?
This sense of God’s rejection was powerful in the days of the prophet Isaiah. The tiny Kingdom of Judah had been betrayed by their brothers in the Northern Kingdom who had allied with the King of Syria to wage war on them. Their king had lost all faith in the God who had promised his ancestor, King David, that He would establish His throne forever. When Isaiah brought hope, Ahaz responded in doubt; he would not trust, he would not ask God for help even when God invited Him to ask anything of Him.
Even when their king refused to believe and instead rejected His goodness, God’s faithfulness to His people would not relent. God promised a sign that would prove He was present; to show that no matter the circumstances, He is a God who is with us. But often, He comes to be with us and is present in ways that we would never expect.
The sign God gave to Judah was that a maiden would have a child and name Him Immanuel – God with us – as a sign that God would overcome His enemies. This sign appeared to have no power and offered no threat at all to the armies arrayed against His people. His very presence, even in the humblest of signs, was more than enough to overcome.
The sign God gave to Ahaz in the time of Isaiah is the same sign that he gave to the world centuries later – a baby who was God with us. God came to be with us in meekness and vulnerability. The God who came to be with us came in gentleness and peace. He lived in obscurity and insignificance. He conquered through submission and suffering. And now to all who believe in Him, He lives forever indwelling, God with us.
Read Isaiah 7:1-14; Matthew 1:18-25
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