God With Us

“The virgin will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and they will name him Immanuel,” which means “God is with us.”

– Matthew 1:23

Electricity — and the bright lights it makes possible — is arguably the one convenience that our society takes most for granted. We simply flick a switch, and there it is … until a storm rumbles through the area and plunges us into utter darkness. How did we ever function before today’s so-called Age of Enlightenment? The answer is that for centuries, people used lamps that burned olive oil. Later, there were candles, whale oil lanterns, and even coal gas illumination.

The search for something better took a while. Thomas Edison — the world-famous inventor — tried thousands of different materials for his incandescent light before he finally found one that wouldn’t burn out in seconds. He eventually solved the dilemma in 1879 by placing a carbon filament in an airless bulb. And a few months later, Edison improved his design by using a bamboo-derived filament that could last more than 1,200 hours. The rest, as they say, is history.

Edison’s tireless quest for illumination was a bit like mankind’s never-ending search for ultimate meaning and fulfillment in life. We all have a spiritual hunger for it that’s hard coded into our DNA. And some try in vain to fill the void through negative pursuits involving drugs, alcohol, compulsive spending, or questionable relationships. Others cope by becoming workaholics or escaping reality through social media, video games, or even travel. But after the thrill is gone, the emptiness always returns.

What they really lack and long for is their Creator. And in a very real way, those who don’t know his Son Jesus have a God-shaped hole in their hearts. But many people find it hard to believe that Christ is the solution. After all, how can one person BE and DO all that? It sounds too good and simple to be true.

Jesus backed up the Biblical claims of his being the so-called Immanuel (“God with us”) by fulfilling dozens of prophesies written centuries before his birth. And there was also his own resurrection to life following his death on a cross to pay our penalty for breaking God’s perfect law. 

But regardless of all the evidence, the Savior still has plenty of naysayers. But don’t be too hard on modern-day skeptics. Even John the Baptist — the one Jesus called the greatest man ever born — had his doubts:

"Are you the one who was to come,” John instructed his followers to ask Jesus, “or should we expect someone else?"

Jesus answered, "Go and tell John what you have heard and seen. The blind are now able to see, and the lame can walk. People with leprosy are being healed, and the deaf can hear. The dead are raised to life, and the poor are hearing the good news. God will bless everyone who doesn't reject me because of what I do."

It took weeks of trial and error for Thomas Edison to finally discover a practical solution for electric lighting. But centuries earlier, John the Baptist had already found The Light. And so has every Believer today. It’s through faith in Jesus Christ that we can begin our relationship with Immanuel: the one who is truly God with us.