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

Perfecting the incandescent lightbulb was no easy feat. 

Thomas Edison, the holder of 1,093 United States patents on technologies ranging from the phonograph to the alkaline battery, tested thousands of materials before finding one that wouldn’t burn out in seconds. In 1879, he solved the dilemma by placing a carbon filament in an airless bulb. And a few months later, Edison improved his design by using a bamboo-derived fiber that could last over 1,200 hours. 

Edison’s tireless quest for illumination is a bit like mankind’s never-ending search for meaning and fulfillment. It’s a spiritual hunger we all share, and it’s hard coded into our DNA. Many people respond 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 once the thrill is gone, the emptiness returns.

What they really lack and long for is their Creator. And in a very real way, they have a God-shaped hole in their hearts. But the good news is that they CAN fill that dark void. That’s because a relationship with God is available to anyone who puts their faith in his son, Jesus. 

How is this possible? Jesus backed the Biblical claims of his being the so-called Immanuel (“God with us”) by fulfilling dozens of prophesies written centuries before his birth. He lived a perfect, sin-free life. And after his unjust execution on a cross to pay the penalty we all deserve for breaking God’s perfect law, he again fulfilled prophesy through his resurrection. The apostle Paul records that Jesus appeared to over 500 people in the days before his ascension to heaven. And many of them were still alive to confirm it at the time Paul wrote his letter to the Corinthians.

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, “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.