God With Us

“The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”--which means, “God with us.” Matthew 1:23 (NIV)

The names of God are many: Jehovah-Jireh, the Lion of Judah, the Bright and Morning Star, The Great I Am, Alpha and Omega. Each describes an attribute of His character, His heart, His personhood. All point to His divinity. But the one which means most to me right now is His name Immanuel; the name that points to His plan for man. I simply cannot wrap my mind around it; the very idea that God was with us.

This Christmas I’ve given thought to that name. The birth of Jesus set the plan of salvation in motion. The very name of Jesus means that Jehovah, the Lord, is salvation. His coming was the will of the Father that was centuries in the making. The prophets had foretold, and the people were waiting.

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. Isaiah 7:14 (NIV)

Imagine what it must have been like to literally, physically be in the presence of God. From the Bible it appears as if few knew that He was God in flesh, and those who did, didn’t really understand or comprehend. Even those closest to Him, his disciples, seemed unable to fully grasp the concept. What an amazing time it must have been. And yet, it never really came to an end. That's because He left us with the Holy Spirit.

But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. John 14:26 (NIV)

I love the last part. He will remind you. Jesus knew that humans have short-term memory. We are forgetful. The Father knew long before sending His son to Earth that there would have to be a plan in place that lasted far beyond the resurrection. So, as Jesus returned to the Father’s right hand, the Holy Spirit came. We are not alone! God is still with us. The thing is, we now know. He has revealed Himself to us. Jesus said that the Holy Spirit will teach us all things. So what will we do with that truth?

Again Jesus said, "Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you." And with that he breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit. John 20:21-22 (NIV)

How often we forget that we are being sent. And yet, the Holy Spirit is in us to remind us. What an incredible gift! How different we would live if we were constantly conscious of the fact that God is with us. So, my challenge to you is this: remember that you are being sent and that God is with you.

The Famous One

10 We have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to Sihon and Og, the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan, whom you completely destroyed. 11 When we heard of it, our hearts melted and everyone's courage failed because of you, for the LORD your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below. - Joshua 2

At this point, Jericho’s hometown harlot has hidden two Israelite spies that Joshua sent into the land. Now, Rahab is preparing to ask that they spare her family’s lives when their people come to claim the city. What strikes me is why she’s on their side. She didn’t know these men from Adam and had no reason to help them; but she had heard of their God and what He was capable of. Let’s think about this: it’s been forty years since God parted the Red Sea as his people fled the Egyptians. Yet, God’s renown has continued to grow; His fame has preceded His people and prepared the way.

It’s a similar scene in Nehemiah as the King’s former cupbearer coordinates the massive effort to rebuild Jerusalem’s wall. They managed to finish the massive project in only 52 days; an incredible feat. Again, word of what God had done spread.

16 When all our enemies heard about this, all the surrounding nations were afraid and lost their self-confidence, because they realized that this work had been done with the help of our God. - Nehemiah 6

God’s greatness serves as a warning to our enemies not to mess with us. It’s also a reminder of why we should obey and walk in His ways. God commanded Joshua to be ‘strong and courageous’ before he sent the spies. The Lord already knew the occupants of the land were afraid, and God knew what He was going to do. Joshua had reason to believe, after all, he too knew what God was famous for. But like me and you, he still had to choose.

Here’s the thing about God’s fame: it will either draw people to Him or drive them far from Him. Men will be forced to choose to love or leave. In these two cases where walls are involved (Jericho and Jerusalem), the other nations were afraid. Yet, because of Rahab’s choice she and her family were saved. All of it is attributed to God’s fame. So how do we participate in spreading His Name?

The Great Commission, the call of Community and every other church, is to go into all the world. God has already secured the salvation of humanity. Now, He has commanded us to tell them; to make His name known. God does not need a spin doctor, a PR person, or an agent to try and sell Him as something He is not. He already is, has been, and will be, the great ‘I Am’. What He desires is for simple people like you and me to tell His story. That’s it. How straight forward can it be? Rest assured someone will listen if we speak.

It’s funny to me how when we tell our life stories, our so-called testimonies, they always bring God glory and not us. More often than not, we look and seem like the sinner we were and are who have been set free and redeemed. As John Piper puts it, we were made to make God look great; and let’s face it, that’s something we ain’t.

Remember this simple truth: Before anyone could have heard, someone had to have spoken the word. That someone is you. Take heart in knowing that God’s fame goes before you. He is the Famous One.

The See of Suffering

Are there ever days when you pray and wonder if you’re getting through? I do. Sometimes I wonder if my pleas directed to the ceiling or at the sky are getting through to the other side. Is God really listening? There is a passage from Exodus that has profoundly impacted my perspective of prayer.

The Israelites have spent 400 years enslaved in Egypt . They are not only oppressed, they are depressed. In their sorrow they have cried out to the only hope they have—God Himself. I’m certain that this was not the first time the Lord heard from them over the course of four centuries. They had to wonder whether or not God was going to respond. Their great expectations to witness God’s divine power turned to decades of disappointment as their earthly pleas were met with Heaven’s silence. Sound familiar to your life? It does to mine. Sometimes I feel like I’m living the sequel: Exodus 2. Have you ever anxiously waited by the phone for someone to call or the mail man to arrive with a certain letter? You wait and wait and then when you least expect it, the word you’ve been waiting for arrives. That must be what the children of Israel felt like. At long last God spoke…

7 The LORD said, "I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt . I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. 8 So I have come down to rescue them… Exodus 3

It’s amazing how a handful of words can bring me to my knees. God says He has seen the suffering of his people. He saw what was happening! If He saw them, then He must see me. Sometimes it’s enough to know that someone sees our suffering. But He doesn’t stop there. The Lord said He heard the cries of His people. He was listening with a heart turned toward them. Then, He expresses His concern for them because He loved them. In the end, God speaks the word that stirs fire within my bones: He said He has come down to rescue them. The Father wasn’t passive in His response to their prayers. God showed up in a way that changed the course of history! I’m not an overly sensitive guy, but this passage brings tears to my eyes. It is a relevant reminder of God’s great love for us. Read the words out loud; they will cause courage and hope to rise in your soul.

I am still waiting to be rescued from some Egypt areas in my life. In others, He has parted the Red Sea and I have walked free. But no matter where you are on this freedom journey, remember this: God sees you, He hears you, He’s concerned for you, and He’s coming down to rescue you.

Do It Afraid

There is a saying among the girls of Mercy Ministries, a wonderful home for young women working through life issues. They tell each other to, ‘Do it afraid!’ I love that! For me, my faith is rarely without fear. But I like to believe that faith isn’t the absence of fear, it is the perseverance and pursuit of what God is calling us to in spite of it. So often I feel as if I’m going out on a limb, and I have to be reminded that I’m really stepping out on the Rock.

The book of Nehemiah is the story of a single-minded man on a mission. Nehemiah is heart-broken that the city of his fathers, Jerusalem , is in ruins. As Bill Hybels writes, he ‘just couldn’t stand it anymore’. He had to do something; be part of the solution. Nehemiah served as cupbearer to the king. It was a prominent position, and an easy job. However, he knew that God was calling him to rebuild Jerusalem , and he didn’t know how to tell the king. I love Nehemiah’s honesty; he doesn’t hide his fear:

“I was very much afraid, but I said to the king, "May the king live forever! Why should my face not look sad when the city where my fathers are buried lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?" Nehemiah 2:2b-3

Now, had I written the story, it would have read much differently. I would have changed it to say that “I boldly went before the king…” But that wasn’t reality. Thankfully, Nehemiah wrote the truth. He stepped out in faith with “with the confident assurance that what we hope for is going to happen.” Hebrews 11:1 There is no guarantee in this life; just a God who loves us and promises to never leave. Nehemiah couldn’t have known what the king would say or how he would react. He simply acted on what God had called him to do; he did it afraid! And God blessed him for it. Not only did the king send Nehemiah with his blessing, he also sent army officers and the cavalry with him for protection. Nehemiah writes that the ‘hand of my God was upon me’.

In the end, Nehemiah and the Jews rebuilt the wall within 52 days. There were those who tried to discourage him; who said that it couldn’t be done:

“They were all trying to frighten us, thinking, "Their hands will get too weak for the work, and it will not be completed." But I prayed, "Now strengthen my hands.” Nehemiah 6:9

Now strengthen my hands… What a great prayer in the face of discouragement! What is God calling you to do? Are you afraid? That’s okay! I encourage you to do it anyway. This life is not easy, but rest assured that there is a reward waiting for us in the end. So for now, just do it afraid, step out in faith; live the life that God is calling you to. Do what he is asking of you. Not everyone will understand or support you, but God will bless you. And the world will know that He is great:

“When all our enemies heard about this, all the surrounding nations were afraid and lost their self-confidence, because they realized that this work had been done with the help of our God.” Nehemiah 6:16