Advent 4

Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us) (Matthew 1:23).

One of the things that makes Christianity unique is that we do not simply worship a God who is far off and has little to do with us. Instead, we have a God who, in his incarnation, intimately involves himself in the messiness of our world and of our lives. Jesus gets his hands dirty, putting his healing touch on the sick, the lame, the leprous, and the dead, bringing about healing and life. Jesus knows the pain of sorrow and loss, he knows what betrayal feels like, and he understands (and overcomes!) death itself.

         As Christmas draws nigh, we look forward to celebrating the arrival of the Christ child, the One whom Isaiah prophesied would be our Immanuel. This reality is not just for a season, however. Jesus does not disappear from us as quickly as the Christmas decorations are put away. Jesus, our Immanuel, is in it for the long haul. In his parting words to the disciples at the close of the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus says, lo, I am with you always to the end of the age (Matthew 28:20). Our Lord’s promise to us is that he is with us every day, every step of the way, every moment we experience. As such, we are never alone, for God is most certainly with us, always. The coming One will come again, and he will bring us home to be with him, to dwell with him, and to see him face to face in the joys of eternity.

O Emmanuel, our king and our Lord, the anointed of the nations and their Savior: Come and save us, O Lord our God. Amen (“O” Antiphon for December 23).

Rev. Brian Noack

LWML Atlantic District Sr. Pastoral Counselor