The Miracle of Immanuel: Perceiving the Everyday Presence of God

The Christmas tree was down, and its ornaments were packed away. So were the stockings, nativity scene, and other holiday decor. As I took one last look around the house to ensure everything had been remembered, I noticed the wall art at the end of the hallway. It was a simple Scripture verse but one rich with meaning:

“Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son and will call Him Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14).

Immanuel, God is with us.

As I began to remove it from the wall, intending to replace it with my non-holiday decor, I paused. “God with me”—that was exactly what I needed to always remember—not just at Christmas but and through all seasons.

I was in the middle of a hard trial. His presence was the comfort my hurting heart needed. It was the assurance that I wouldn’t face my challenges alone. So, I decided that the picture would stay.

From that day forward, it became one of the first things I saw every morning and one of the last things I saw every night. The constant reminder of the miracle of the manger–that God became flesh to dwell among us–is a truth I will forever be in awe of.

There But Unaware

Yet, if I’m honest, there are times when I can be like Jacob–living in the presence of God but unaware of it (see Genesis 28).

Jacob, running for his life after stealing his brother’s blessing, fled from home. One night, as he lay down to sleep, he dreamed of a ladder reaching from earth to heaven, with angels ascending and descending on it. At the top of the ladder, Jacob saw the Lord and heard Him speak to him:

“I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying” (Genesis 28:13).

When Jacob woke, he was filled with awe and amazement:

“Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it” (Genesis 28:16).

My guess is, if we were in Jacobs’ shoes, we’d be awestruck, too. But God is in “this place”–with me, with you, right here, right now. Do we perceive it? Are we awed by it?

Like Jacob, there are moments when we fail to recognize that God is near. Especially at this time of year, when we face overwhelming demands physically, mentally, and emotionally, we can easily overlook the miracle of Immanuel–the very thing we’re celebrating.

As we reflect on the birth of Christ, let’s pray to be aware of His nearness. Christ first came to us so that we might continually come to Him. Such a loving and gracious God is beyond comprehension, yet we can aim to recognize that God is with us–every moment of every day–through these three lessons from Mary’s life.

Lessons From the Life of Mary

Start each day in surrender.
“I am the Lord’s servant… May your word to me be fulfilled.” —Luke 1:38

When Mary humbly accepted God’s plan for her life, she surrendered her own. Similarly, when we begin each day in surrender to God, we are reminded that He has a plan for our lives, too. He does not expect us to know it or fulfill it ourselves; He is faithful to lead us. Why? Because He’s with us.

Practice “God-centered moments”.
“But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.” —Luke 2:19

Mary reflected on the incredible things God had done–and was still doing–in and around her. As we recognize His involvement in our lives, His answers to our prayers, and the way He is working, we are reminded that He is active in our lives, too. Why? Because He’s with us.

Turn ordinary tasks into acts of worship.
“…and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger…”—Luke 2:7

Mary’s simple yet profound care for Jesus—wrapping Him in cloths and placing Him in the manger—was an act of love and devotion. In the same way, every small task we perform can be an expression of love and worship to our God. Why? because He’s with us.

Commentator Lawrence O. Richards wrote, “‘Immanuel.’ This word is unusual. We might render it, to give it its true emphasis, ‘WITH US is God!’ Thus, the construction of this name captures the wonder of the Incarnation itself, that the God of glory would actually become a Man” (emphasis mine).

The God of the universe, your Creator and mine, the One who holds all things in His hands, is with us. It may sound too good to be true. It is good. But it’s also true. This is the miracle we celebrate at the manger. And because He’s with us, every need of our lives and every longing of our hearts is fulfilled in Him.

Do we perceive His presence? Today, we can begin with three simple lessons from Mary’s life. We need not be like Jacob, unaware that God is near. And we don’t need wall art in our hallway to remind us. God has done better: He’s written His truth on our hearts. We simply need to remember the miracle of Immanuel.