In Isaiah 7:14, we find it written, “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Emmanuel.” According to the Gospel of Matthew 1:23, this name means, “God with us.”

That’s the relationship God wants to have with you. He doesn’t want to be a remote and distant God. He wants to be rightly here with you, right now, every day of your life. He wants to be ever-present in every aspect of your life. He wants to delight in you. He wants to take care of you. He wants to make plans for you.

So what is our response? Our response is to welcome Him into every aspect of our lives. That begins, if you have never taken this step, with inviting Him into your life and asking Him to forgive you of your sins. That’s the first step. The next step is to give every moment of every day to Him, beginning with this moment.

Christmas will soon be upon us. As you busy yourself buying gifts and with the preparations for your Christmas meal, please remember Christmas really means God is with us. He sent His son, Jesus Christ, Emmanuel, to walk among us. You are never alone. You are never on your own. Welcome God this year into this moment of your life. Experience His delight, His forgiveness, His protection, His peace and let Him shape every moment of your life into the future He has planned for you.