Emmanuel

Emmanuel. "God with us."

Before Jesus was born, an angel visited Joseph and told him what to call Mary's baby. One of those names was Emmanuel. Translated, "God with us."

Sometimes, we think Emmanuel means that nothing bad will ver happen. Sometimes, Christians of all varieties imagine that life with God will be free from strife. Sometimes non-Christians or non-religious people think that God and religion are an opiate that solves problems. Not so.

And I don't think that's what was meant by "Emmanuel."

Instead, Emmanuel means that the worst thing will never happen to us - being away from God. Being completely, eternally alone.

Emmanuel means that God is with us always. That God cares.

We couldn't go all the way to God on our own, so God came. Emmanuel. God with us.

Emmanuel means that even though we're imperfect and messy and confused, God wants to be with us.

Emmanuel means that there will never be any space between us and God.

Emmanuel means that we are never alone.

Emmanuel means that God wants to be with us forever.

Emmanuel means that God will always be as close as our breath. Breathe in, breath out. There. That's God. Right up in our noses. So close. The words originally used in the Hebrew and Christian Bibles for Holy Spirit are in Hebrew ruach and in Greek pneuma. Ruach is the Hebrew word for wind. In Genesis, when God's spirit brooded over the waters before creation, that word is "wind." God's wind was there, God's breath. The Greek pneuma is recognized in English pneumonia. Breath. God is breath. Emmanuel.

Emmanuel. What a miracle. Emmanuel for all. Emmanuel not only for the rich and powerful, but those like babies and children - those who are small, helpless, without rights. Those who cannot help themselves. Those who have nothing at all to offer. Emmanuel. For those like this. For us.

Emmanuel means that everyone's invited and there's nothing we can do to earn our invitation and there's nothing we can do to take it away.

Emmanuel means that God already came down and delivered our invitation and scooped us up and brought us to the heavenly banquet.


When we worry we're not good enough - Emmanuel. God with us.

When we're scared  - Emmanuel. God with us.

When we're sad - Emmanuel. God with us.

When friends aren't being so friendly - Emmanuel. God with us.

When the prognosis is bad - Emmanuel. God with us.

When college and work is real tough - Emmanuel. God with us.

When there's no job and no money - Emmanuel. God with us.

When there's cancer - Emmanuel. God with us.

When there's depression and anxiety and eating disorders - Emmanuel. God with us.

When we don't know what's up next - Emmanuel. God with us.

When faith is hard to come by - Emmanuel. God with us.

When we wonder if we've ever felt the Holy Spirit speak peace to us before - Emmanuel. God with us.

When we've messed up REAL bad and feel we'll never be able to make restitution - Emmanuel. God with us.

When oppression seems to reign - Emmanuel. God with us.

When the fight for justice feels neverending - Emmanuel. God with us.

When racism and sexism and homophobia and islamaphobia and antisemitism and xenophobia seem rampant - Emmanuel. God with us.

When children are homeless and cold and hungry and we can't save them all - Emmanuel. God with us.

When the justice system puts innocent people away - Emmanuel. God with us.

When abusers run free and victims have to live in fear - Emmanuel. God with us.


And, when life is rainbows and sunshine and bowls of ice cream - Emmanuel. God with us.

All the time.

Highs and lows.

Hills and valleys.

In the harvest and in the famine.

Both/And.

Emmanuel.

God with us.