With Us

Have you spent much time considering what it would have been like to have been Joseph when he was engaged to Mary? Of course, most shocking would be that your fiancé is going to have a son before the two of you came together physically. Even more shocking would be the news that your fiancé is going to become pregnant by the Holy Spirit.

Before Joseph could ask a question, he was told, “you will name Him Jesus.” Did he dare protest that he had planned to name his firstborn son after himself? The explanation that the name “Jesus” was selected was because he would “save His people” would no doubt have caused his heart to race. “Save our people?” That thought is a good one, but before he could process all he was being told he was given more information. The angelic messenger continued, “…from their sins.”

No doubt, Joseph wanted to blurt out, “Save people from their sins? Only God can do that.”

And that is exactly what Jesus did. Mary bore God’s Son, as Matthew 1:23 records, “‘Behold, the virgin shall be with child and shall bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,’ which translated means, ‘God with us.’”

You can’t get more “with us” than to be born through Mary’s body to live among us and die for us.

Yes, it’s good to contemplate how the angel’s announcement impacted Joseph, but it is also good to contemplate the impact of the angel’s announcement for us.

Lord Jesus, Immanuel, we praise You. You’re not a God who is far removed nor have you left us to die in our sins. Rather, You came from heaven to earth, IMMANUEL, to be with us. Thank You, Lord Jesus.

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