Names of GodSample

Day 23: Immanuel – God With Us

Devotional:

Immanuel may be one of the most tender and powerful of all the names attributed to God. It means "God with us." Not above us. Not far from us. Not against us. With us. This is unusual for all fake gods as well as the Almighty. This is a unique moment that displays His desire for relationship.

The prophet Isaiah first spoke this name to King Ahaz during a national crisis. Judah was under threat, and fear gripped the people. God responded not with a military strategy but with a promise: a virgin would conceive, and her child would be called Immanuel; the promise of presence.

Centuries later, Matthew declared that this prophecy was fulfilled in the birth of Jesus. In Christ, God did not merely send a representative; He came Himself. The Creator stepped into His creation. The eternal one entered time. The holy became human.

More than Christmas

Immanuel is not just a Christmas title; it is the very essence of the gospel. God did not wait for us to climb to Him. He came down to us. He entered into our brokenness, mess, suffering, and joys. He is not a God who observes from a distance. He is a God who enters.

Jesus, our Immanuel, walked among the poor, touched the sick, welcomed the outcast, and wept at the tomb of a friend. He showed us what God is like, full of compassion, justice, truth, and grace. He died in our place and rose again so that nothing could separate us from the presence of God.

What His Presence Brings

To know God as Immanuel is to understand that you are never alone. Not in your pain, failure, waiting, or questions. He is not just near when you feel Him. He is near because He has promised to be.

Hebrews 13:5 reminds us, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." Jesus told His disciples, "I am with you always, to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:20). These are not mere sentiments. They are promises sealed in blood and anchored in love.

He Understands Us

Immanuel changes how we suffer. We do not grieve as those without hope. Immanuel changes how we walk through life’s uncertainties. We don’t navigate them alone. Immanuel changes how we approach each day with courage, because God is with us.

And Immanuel changes how we serve. God has drawn near to us, so we are called to draw near to others. To be present in love, stand with the hurting, and extend grace to the broken. We become a reflection of the God who is with us.

One day, the presence we now know in part will be experienced in full. Revelation 21:3 declares, "Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be His people." This presence is the end goal of all of Scripture: God with us, forever.

Until that day, let the name Immanuel remind you of a sacred truth: wherever you go, whatever you face, however you feel, you are never alone.

Prayer:

Immanuel, thank you for coming near. Thank you. I don’t have to earn your presence or beg for your attention. You are already here. Help me to recognize your nearness even in the ordinary. Remind me that you are with me when I feel afraid or alone. Let your presence be my peace, my strength, and my joy. It is in the name of Jesus we pray, amen.

Reflection Questions:

1. When have you most clearly experienced God as Immanuel, "God with you"?
2. What areas of your life are you tempted to believe you are walking through alone?
3. How can you reflect Immanuel's presence on someone else today?