Christmas Eve: Emmanuel

Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a Son, and will call Him Immanuel. 

Isaiah 7:14

Today is THE day before THE BIG DAY.  Tomorrow we celebrate Jesus' birth, but today is the last day to prepare our hearts and we really should be celebrating each and every day.  The second to last name for Jesus we will study is Emmanuel or Immanuel (Greek vs. Hebrew spelling).  This name is so wonderful because it means "God with us".  

Jesus came down from Heaven to dwell among, literally the Greek word for dwelling is ἐσκήνωσεν and means tabernacled among us!  The original reason that God had the Israelites build the Tabernacle (or temple) was so He could dwell among the people in that one place.  Then Jesus comes down to dwell among the people and teaches them.

However, Jesus didn't leave us alone when He ascended to Heaven after His resurrection.  He left His Spirit (well after Pentecost, see Acts) so He is always with us.  We are never alone in any circumstance.  Sometimes I feel as if I am alone when no other humans are around or can understand my situation.  Jesus is there for me and has gone through the same feelings and temptations that we face every day.  

Jesus fulfilled the original intent of the Tabernacle.  He came and dwelled with us in human flesh and then returned to Heaven.  The Holy Spirit was sent down so that we can have God in us, not just with us.  Therefore, the Holy Spirit dwells within us, closer than any relationship with God prior to Jesus!!!!

Our relationship with God is even more intimate than Moses and God because Jesus has fully cleansed us.  With this cleansing we can now come so close to God that He can live inside of us!! 

Does this change your view on the celebration tomorrow?  Will you take some time tomorrow to give thanks and just rest in the awe of God's amazing love?

With His Love,

A