Since about August, I've been a part of the Saturday night worship team at our church. Humbled that the Lord allows me to help lead His church in songs to bring glory, honor and praise before Him. This past Saturday as the team was finishing the worship set, we led the church in a last song, Emmanuel (God With Us). I could barely hold my emotions in check. The word "Emmanuel" came to take a whole new meaning for me last Christmas and singing the words brought a fresh wave of rememberance. Emmanuel-God with us. Jesus with us. With you. With me.
He reminded me what Mary might have felt with a growing miracle inside her. Rejoicing in God's miracle, yet fully knowing and grieving what the price of saving mankind would take one day. Jesus, laying down all rights of heavenly glory to put on flesh as a human. To dwell among men. To be tempted. Rejected. Misunderstood. Facing sin, yet not succumbed to it. The One who never submitted to sins seduction, having all mankind sins' weight and death burdened on His shoulders on the Cross at Calvary. Facing death, He conquered it and rose again to life. Now seated in heaven being our perfect sacrifice that we may accept and believe in Him for a restored relationship with God. Because of Emmanuel, Jesus with us, we have the hope of eternity with our God. We have the hope not only in our eternity but with His presence in our daily life. God with us. With us in the pain. With us in the beautiful. With us in the loss. With us in the miracle. Emmanuel-God with us. Jesus with us. With you. With me.
Because of Christmas we rejoice in Emmanuel, God with us. Because of the cross we rejoice in Messiah, God saves us. Because of Christ Jesus we rejoice in Him, God redeems us.
How beautiful that because of Emmanuel, God is with us. Jesus with us. With you dear one. With me.