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

The mission of this blog is to explore the presence of God in the present. I believe we are able to do that because He is still present in our present. He is still Immanuel. He is still with us.

The meaning of Immanuel is exactly the reminder I need by the time December 24th rolls around. At this point I’m just about always running empty on the Christmas spirit, especially this year. It’s been a wild 12 months. I’ve turned in my notice to 3 different jobs this year (I’ll be starting a new one in January). I’ve moved away from the only place I’ve ever truly called home. I’ve married my best friend and begun the wonderful and challenging journey of being a husband. As excited and thankful as I am for where I’ve come over the past year I’m just as exhausted and confused about how to handle where I’m going. When I’m burnt out and ready to kick the Christmas tree over, I keep reminding myself of His promise that has remained true year after year. God with me. 

I know the same is true for many of you reading this. When we spend our days looking down only at our phones and what our own hands are working on we all lose sight of what’s going on around us. So look around. Look at the way He reveals himself in music and movies. In Lexus commercials and in lumps of coal. In socks and underwear. In all of the chaos and confusion and commercialization He’s there, with each of you, if you are willing to look. God with you.

The presence of Immanuel was never meant to be a short term present. It’s not like the stop-motion cartoons we love which come around once a year or the 24/7 Christmas music stations which temporarily takeover the radio dial. Just because His physical manifestation went away, that doesn’t mean He’s actually gone anywhere. His spirit is like Christmas lights hung year round, ready to be turned back on at a moment’s notice. When the stockings come down and the ornaments go back in the attic, remember His name. Open up the book and read it out loud: Immanuel. God with us. 

Immanuel. In the present, as in the past, and so in the future. God with me. God with you. God with us. 

Thanks for joining me on this journey through the 12 Blogs Of Christmas. Follow along for the next part of the POP GOD journey in 2015. Merry Christmas.