“The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.” Isaiah 9:2 NIV
The local Christian radio station has started exclusively playing “Christmas” songs. I confess that I find that a little annoying because the good ones are mixed in with so many bad ones.
But I will also admit that I have played this version of “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” pretty much all year around and particularly in the last month.
I have said before that Emmanuel is my favorite name for Jesus.
One of the things I like about this version is that it reminds us that the promise of “God with us” is not just a future hope but a present reality.
The celebration of Christmas should be more than a celebration of an historical moment in time, but the fulfillment of the promise and the fact that God is with us, even today.
Another “Immanuel” song that I love (though it may not be considered a Christmas song) is Immanuel from Michael Card.
I love how he connects Immanuel with Romans 8.
“Immanuel our God is with us
And if God is with us who could stand against us
Our God is with us, Immanuel
For all those who live in the shadow of death
A glorious light has dawned
For all those who stumble in the darkness
Behold your light has come
So what will be Your answer? Will You hear the call?
Of Him who did not spare His son but gave Him for us all
On earth there is no power there is no depth or height
That could ever separate us from the love of God in Christ”
So on this fourth Thursday of November, in a world marred with the effects of sin, during a dark time, and in the midst of my pain, I give thanks that a “glorious light has dawned” and that Emmanuel (God is with us).
“What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us (if Emmanuel), who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:31-39 NIV
A Long Intentional Walk 