Isn’t it wonderful to know that God is with us? Recently we had a serious situation with my brand new grandbaby. Her little body was having issues and she was put into the NICU. Even though we were certain she would be okay, our concern was at high levels. Watching her go through all the needle sticks and procedures that they do was very hard. Even knowing that she will never remember these hard days, we will. I can tell you that knowing that God was with me made all the difference. What comfort in knowing that we never face anything good or bad without God’s presence with us. He never leaves us to handle it alone. I knew when I cried out to God on our sweet baby’s behalf that He was right there listening and acting. Yes, she is home and she is doing great!

Do things always turn out for the good? No, often the unimaginable happens and our hearts are left broken rather than elated. Does that mean God was not present and He did not hear? No, scripture is clear that we are not alone, Emmanuel is with us, hearing us and working out His perfect plan.

I want to encourage any believers out there who are feeling alone to remember what God’s word says and that He is faithful, He is present, He is hearing you, He cares. As our Pastor said recently, sometimes God wraps himself in the darkness because we cannot behold his full glory at once. But He is in that darkness, walking with us and keeping us through it all.

God is Omnipresent. There is no other person or so-called God who can say that. God desires to be with us and promises to always be with us. Even if you cannot feel him, he is there. We are told that when two or three gather in His name, He is in the midst. Matthew 18:20 “For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I with them.” In
Isaiah 41:10 we read these words: “Don’t be afraid, because I’m with you; don’t be anxious, because I am your God. I keep on strengthening you; I’m surely upholding you with my victorious right hand.” Isn’t that awesome, when our strength fails, His strength holds and keeps holding us.

You may say where is God if he is with us? I think this scripture is a good indicator of where he is. 1 Corinthians 3:16 “Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst?” He is in us, around us, behind us, before us, He is everywhere at all times. He dwells in the present always.

I love Psalm 139:7-12 “Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in Sheol, You are there. If I take the wings of dawn, If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea, Even there Your hand will lead me, And Your right hand will lay hold of me. If I say, “Surely the darkness will overwhelm me, And the light around me will be night,” Even the darkness is not dark to You, And the night is as bright as the day. Darkness and light are alike to You.”

Wow! No matter where I go, what I go through, On my best day or my hardest day, if I run away or hide in a cave, God is with me. Emmanuel…
I knew as I sat and rocked our sweet girl waiting for the next test that God was with me. Her mommy and daddy knew he was there and all they needed to do was speak that name above all names, Jesus, Jesus. There is power in that name. He comforted us, dried our tears, calmed our fears, and showed up strong for us.

When I said goodbye to my sister as I watched her die on a video camera, God was there. I could feel his presence and I found peace in it. I gave him my pain, I gave him my disappointment, my fears, my tears. I found rest and peace. Days will sometimes be hard, decisions will be harder, know God. Understand He is with you and He will NEVER LEAVE YOU!

Emmanuel-God With Us. Awesome!