ADRIAN – Looking towards the holidays, excitement, and anticipation build. It’s not the gifts or all the trappings that bring these emotions to the forefront, although they help! Instead, it is the realization that we will be WITH family and friends, and memories of being WITH family and friends.
It’s the time that we get to spend WITH brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles, moms and dads, friends from high school and college we haven’t seen in a while, and the list goes on and on. It's a special time with special people……...the key word is WITH.
For me, November and December also bring back fond memories of hunting with my younger brother and dad. We hunted many different animals, and I loved the thrill of the hunt. As I look back now, it’s the memories of being WITH my brother and my dad who passed away a few years ago that make those moments special. The power of WITH is indispensable as we look back as well as move forward.
As Advent dawns on us again, WITH is an important aspect for us to remember and on which to meditate. In Isaiah 7:14, God gives Isaiah a word of prophecy about the Messiah that Matthew will quote (Matthew 1:23) when he reports on the birth announcement of Jesus to Joseph. Names are vital in the Bible and this name that would be given to Jesus communicates one of the greatest promises as well as greatest aspects of the incarnation. God, through the prophet Isaiah, gives the name Immanuel to the Messiah. God WITH us.
Of all the gifts we are given in and through Christ, it’s hard to find one that compares with the fact that the Father sent the Son to be WITH us. We often look back on the gospel with amazement and wonder. What would it have been like to physically walk with Jesus? To be instructed and discipled by Jesus? To hear His wonderful teachings? To look into His eyes and see love like we had never seen before? There is a sense in which we envy the disciples and long for that kind of relationship with Jesus.
But in doing so we forget the very words of Jesus in the gospel of John. He said that He was leaving, but He would not leave His followers as orphans. He said He would send the helper to be WITH them in His physical absence (John 14:15-31). Later, Jesus would say that it was to their advantage for Him to leave, and the Spirit to come to be WITH them.
While we celebrate this time of year, may we think deeply of the gift of presence over presents. May we mediate and worship God for the gift of His presence in our life. May we praise Him for the gift of Jesus as a baby coming to be WITH us, but may we also praise Him for the Holy Spirit that is always WITH us today and every day. This is such amazing news that we should also share this gift with others. You don’t have to be alone anymore. The God of the universe wants to be WITH you! May we praise and worship the God who is WITH us and wants to spend eternity WITH us. What an amazing gift!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Nate is the pastor at Catalyst Church in Adrian, MI. He has his MDIV from Liberty Baptist Seminary. Nate has been married to his high school sweetheart Alison for 23 years. They have 4 kids Payton (19) Parker (16) Paisley (9) and Paxton (7).