In the lead up to Christmas, LMI’s Lorna Wilkinson - the author of our long-running series, ‘A Word For Your Week’ - is compiling several short devotionals based on the letters of IMMANUEL. What a truly wonderful and appropriate way to focus our thoughts on the real meaning behind this much loved time of year 🌟❤️🙂:
 
“In scripture, we read the word IMMANUEL – which means ‘God with us’ - three times, in Isaiah 7:14, Isaiah 8:8 and Matthew 1:23.

Isaiah said, “Behold the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel”. This prophecy was fulfilled when an angel told Joseph about Mary: “She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21).
 
The creator of the universe came as a helpless baby, lived among us and died for our sins. Jesus is Immanuel, our Saviour. When we make room for Him in our hearts, turning to Him in repentance and placing our faith in Him alone, we enter into a personal relationship with Him. He loved us enough to leave Heaven to rescue us from sin. What amazing love!
 
He will be with us through life’s journey until the day we stand before God, and we will then be with Him in heaven forever. He came as Immanuel, and before He returned to heaven, He said, “And behold I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).
 
“From the squalor of a borrowed stable,
By the Spirit and a virgin’s faith;
To the anguish and the shame of scandal
Came the Saviour of the human race.
But the skies were filled with the praise of heaven,
Shepherds listen as the angels tell
Of the Gift of God come down to man
At the dawning of Immanuel.”
 
Extract of ‘From the Squalor of a Borrowed Stable’, by Stuart Townsend 🎶