Matthew 1 - 7.24.24

Scripture

Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us”. (Matthew 1:23, NKJV)

Observation

In the first chapter of Matthew, we read about the birth of Jesus Christ. Mary was engaged to be married to Joseph. Before they were married, she learned that she would conceive by God’s Holy Spirit. Joseph being a good man, considered secretly calling off the wedding without embarrassing Mary. While he was contemplating this, an angel appeared to him in a dream and told him that Mary had conceived of the Holy Spirit. In verse 23, we read that all this happened so that God’s promise would be fulfilled that a virgin will bear a son and he will be called Immanuel which means “God with us”. Jesus came so that we would have God with us.

It is interesting that whenever God’s children felt inadequate to do the tasks in front of them, God did not give them a motivational message of “you can do this, you got this”. Instead He always said, “I am with you”. When Moses was afraid of facing Pharoah, God said “I will be with you” (Exodus 3:12). When Joshua balked at the formidable task of stepping into Moses’ shoes as the next leader of Israel, God said “Just as I was with Moses, I will be with you” (Joshua 1:5). When Gideon was fearful of leading Israel, God said “I will be with you” (Judges 6:16). God tells us in Isaiah 41:10, “Do not fear, for I am with you”.  When Jeremiah was fearful of the task God asked him to do, God said “I am with you” (Jer 1:7). The list goes on and on. The last recorded words of Jesus before his ascension into heaven after resurrection was “surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).

Application

God with me makes me the majority. God with me is all I need. When I walk into those tough corporate boardrooms for negotiations for work, God is with me. When I face challenges at home, God is with me. When I struggle with parenting my children, God is with me. Whatever I am facing, I have all the help I need when God is with me. I will say with the Psalmist, “I have set the Lord always before me, because He is at my right hand, I will not be moved” (Psalms 16:8). Because God is with me, I will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging (Psalms 46:2,3). A thousand may fall at my side, ten thousand at my right hand, but it will not come near me, because God is with me (Psalms 91:7). 

Prayer

Father, I come to you in the name of Jesus. Thank you Jesus, because you are Immanuel, God with me. Thank you for your promise that you are with me always to the very end of the age. Thank you because you are with me today as you were with Moses and as you were with Joshua and as you were with David. Help me to be conscious of your presence with me always. May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight (Psalms 19:14). May everything I do bring glory to your name. May your will be done in my life as it is in heaven. May my life be a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to you (Romans 12:1). In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

- Asha Chacko George