When my wife went into labor with our third child things progressed more rapidly than we anticipated. By the time we arrived in the birthing suite it was time to deliver. The nursing staff called the doctor whose office was just a few blocks away. When she returned, she calmed stated, “The doctor is near.” At that moment, nearness offered little if any comfort. My daughter would be brought into the world by a complete stranger, a doctor on call that we had not seen before or since.
There is a big difference between being near and being here. That difference is the calming promise of Immanuel, “God with us.”
In 734 BC, the people of Judah were under duress. The armies of Israel joined forces with the armies of Aram to overtake Jerusalem. The prophetic word of encouragement from Isaiah was not what King Ahaz was not what he was expecting. “The Lord himself will give you a sign. The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.” (Isaiah 7:14) That prophecy came to Judah during a dark time of adversity. The most comforting words the prophet could offer was, “God is here.”
Fast forward seven centuries and we learn that little had changed for the people. Under the oppressive rule of the Roman Empire, people were looking for hope and comfort. Again, the word of the Lord came to them. “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a Son, and they will call him ‘Immanuel,’ which means ‘God with us.'” (Matthew 1:23)
When God came to us through Jesus, he didn’t come as hoped or expected. Messianic expectations were focused on a military leader like David who would deliver the land from the unrighteous Roman rule. Jesus came to meet the deepest needs of the people, the needs far deeper than geo-political freedom and restoration. How does he meet our deepest needs?
I believe Isaiah 9:6 sheds light on the kind of presence God offered then and now. “And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
As Wonderful Counselor he is available to reveal the ultimate root causes of our need and point to the appropriate remedy.
As the Mighty God he has the power to enable us to experience the true transformation we seek.
As the Everlasting Father he reminds us that we belong and that we are loved unconditionally.
As the Prince of Peace he provides the true peace we need, peace with God.
The Gospels emphasize the presence of God in our lives. In fact, God’s presence bookends the story of Jesus. At his birth, he is Immanuel, God with us. At his ascension his parting words were, “And lo, I am with you always.” (Matthew 28:20)
The Christmas story is about, in part, the fact that God is not near. He is here.
