“Immanuel” and “Jesus”—one meaning “God with us” and the
other “Jehovah is salvation.” Both are used to identify God who became man to
bring salvation and union with Him. Our God is everywhere present all of the
time, but there is a special everywhere present-ness that exists for those who
believe in Him. The Bible tells us that it is by trusting that Jesus Christ died
for our sins and rose from the dead that brings salvation and eternal life and
His constant abiding presence. Even as in one sense Jesus has left and will
return one day to take with Him those who are His, there is the other sense
that He is and always has been our omnipresent God. Scripture speaks of Christ
being in us as we in Him. “I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides
in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.”
(John 15:5, NASB95) Clearly, our God abides in His children and He expects us
to abide in Him.
Abiding is evidence of our salvation and it is shown through
our fruit—our continuance in service and obedience. In Romans 12:2 we read, “And
do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your
mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and
acceptable and perfect.” The proving is a showing of what already exists, what
God has done. It is an evidence of the change that God has made in us.
In the hastiness of our days or maybe even in the routine
and the mundane we might take our eyes off of God. In these times He has not
gone anywhere. The problem rests in us not looking to and trusting Him for the
crazy things or the things we think we can so easily handle on our own.
In Hebrews we find the answer for those times, those times when
we get tangled up in the things of life and not looking to our Lord of life. “…let
us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us,
and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes
on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him
endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of
the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:1–2, NASB95)
Fixing our eyes on Jesus—knowing the truth of Christ’s
continual presence, we are to take our eyes off of the things (big and small) and
look to our Lord who is always present and sovereign over all of those things. And
if we think to doubt what He is willing to do about our circumstances right now,
we don’t have to look any further to be assured than remembering what He did
for us to bring us into a relationship with Him in the first place.
Jesus told the disciples, “…and lo, I am with you always,
even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20, NASB95) And He really meant it!
Today in “Jesus Calling” by Sarah Young (10/25)
I am God with you, for all time and throughout eternity.
Don’t let the familiarity of that concept numb its impact on your
consciousness. My perpetual Presence with you can be a continual source of Joy,
springing up and flowing out in streams of abundant Life. Let your mind
reverberate with meanings of My names: Jesus—the Lord saves, and Emmanuel—God
with us. Strive to remain conscious of My Presence even in your busiest
moments. Talk with Me about whatever delights you, whatever upsets you, whatever
is on your mind. These tiny steps of daily discipline, taken one after the
other, will keep you close to Me on the path of Life.
“She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for
He will save His people from their sins.”
… ““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 1:21, 23,
NASB95)
“YOU HAVE MADE KNOWN
TO ME THE WAYS OF LIFE; YOU WILL
MAKE ME FULL OF GLADNESS WITH YOUR PRESENCE.” (Acts 2:28, NASB95)
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