IMMANUEL–“GOD WITH US”
Matthew 1:23 “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel.” which is translated, “God with us.”
I grew up in a church which preached a great message of salvation and right living. At the age of 12 I accepted Jesus Christ as my Savior. I knew that if something happened and I died, I would go to heaven and be with God.
It wasn’t until years later that I came to understand what being “saved” really meant. “Going to heaven” was only one aspect of this great salvation. I began to learn that being a Christian placed me in a special relationship with God. Salvation was not just to “keep me from going to hell.” God really wanted to fellowship with me everyday and be a part of every area of my life. I learned to be conscious of His presence in my life all day and to talk to Him. How comforting it is to know that because of Christmas we have Immanuel–God with us in Christ Jesus.