God With Us

God with Us

Q: Which of these words means “God with us”?

• a. Jehovah
• b. Immanuel
• c. Jesus

Long before Jesus was born, the prophet Isaiah foretold his coming. This baby wouldn’t be just any child. He would be the Son of God. Jesus would live on earth and be totally human yet still totally God. That’s a hard thing to understand, even for Bible scholars.

Isaiah said this baby would be called Immanuel, which means “God with us.” In some ways God had always been with people. He was with them through his creation, and he made a covenant with his chosen people to be with them and protect them. But they had turned from him. Their sins had caused a separation between them and God. Isaiah 59:1-2 says, “Listen! The LORD’s arm is not too weak to save you, nor is his ear too deaf to hear you call. It’s your sins that have cut you off from God. Because of your sins, he has turned away and will not listen anymore.”

When Jesus was born in Bethlehem, he walked physically with people on earth. He also provided salvation and forgiveness of sins so we could have God’s Spirit with us all the time. Anyone who receives Jesus becomes a child of God (see John 1:12), and God is with him or her in a new way.

Saint Augustine said, “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you.” God made us in his image for the purpose of knowing and worshiping him. Your life is not complete until Jesus is a part of it.

For You

God created each person and desires for each of us to have a relationship with him. You begin that relationship when you accept his Son, Jesus, as your Savior. Share that good news with a friend or classmate today, or invite him or her to church to hear the Good News.

Answer: b

The Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means “God is with us”).   Isaiah 7:14

(The Whole Story: Isaiah 7:10-16)