Immanuel, God With Us | Advent Day 18
Daily Scripture Reading: Matthew 1:22-23
If we aren’t careful this Advent season, we can turn our traditions on autopilot, with Scripture becoming a familiar scene we pass through on our journey to Christmas. The Gospel of Matthew was written by Mathew, the disciple of Jesus and former tax collector. Some scholars believe he was the scribe of the group and, due to the nature of his previous vocation, would have been a meticulous note-taker.
Why is that important? The words Mathew chose when writing his Gospel were not chosen lightly. So as followers of Jesus, we must not treat them with anything less than reverence and full attention of our hearts during this Advent season. There’s so much to unpack in these two verses:
- “All this took place to fulfill…”: This is the first time this phrase is used to proclaim Jesus’ birth as the fulfillment of an Old Testament prophecy. (Isaiah 7:14)
- “The virgin shall conceive…”: Jesus’ conception was divine and a foundational piece of our belief system that can’t be glossed over.
- “They shall call his name Immanuel”: Immanuel means ‘God with us.’ This does not just speak to Jesus being fully God but also His nearness to man and His nearness to us.
My prayer is that whether this is the first time you’ve read these verses or the hundredth, they would resonate in a new way in your heart. Immanuel is coming, and His name is Jesus. He longs to be near you, so take the time to be near Him this Advent season.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, as we light the Advent candles, help us pause and reflect on the profound meaning of Jesus’ birth. May Your Word resonate deeply within us, reminding us of Your nearness and love. Draw us closer to You this season, filling our hearts with reverence and joy. Amen.