OBSERVATIONS:
I asked myself what did the Angel of the Lord say the child will be called?
1.  They will call Him Immanuel'-- which means, "God with us.”

INTERPRETATIONS:
I asked myself why is it so significant that the Angel of the Lord tells Joseph that they will call the child Immanuel-which means, "God with us?"

It is so significant that for more than 400 years or so, the Jewish people did not hear from the prophets and many might have even felt God abandoned them. Yet still, though they did not feel the presence of the Lord or hear from the Lord through the prophets, the priests continued to give incense and sacrifices at the altar. These times of 400 years were known as the SILENT YEARS from the time of the Old Testament.

Now, the Angel of the Lord comes with such significant news about the impossibility happening to show that God had not abandoned the people. But more than that the angel wants Joseph to know that the child born to the virgin Mary will be called 'Immanuel-- which means, 'God with us!'.

This alone shows that God would come down to earth as God-incarnate to be with His people. This is what Jesus would become. He would be God-incarnate to those around Him so they would never have to feel that God abandoned them. For whether they feel God's presence or not, they can know that God is right with them in Jesus.

PERSONAL STORY

 I want to share a personal story with you and connect it back to Matt 1:22-23 and IMMANUEL.

Once my mommy shared with me that she was going through a wilderness and dry season during which she did not feel the presence of the Lord Jesus anymore.

My mommy who led me to Christ on a Valentine's Day was having a crisis of faith. I assured my mommy that Jesus is there even if she does not feel him anymore. Then, I prayed and shared a counseling poem called 'Never Forsaken' that I had written for students. I wanted my mommy to know Immanuel - God with us is right with her. The poem addressed the issue of wilderness, dryness, sin, etc. 

"Never Forsaken"

Jesus is in your heart
Satan's fiery arrows you can dart
Because for you, Jesus did His part
As you gave Him a start

These days His presence you don't feel?
Making each day of your life hard to deal?
Sometimes can't even eat your meal?
As you cry out to Him praying, as you kneel?

Knowing what your sin was
And what was the cause
Confessing it with your jaws (mouth)
As you wipe your tears, taking a pause

Though you feel lost
Thinking for your sin, this is the cost
You need not frost
Jesus feels your heart is in a hurry for Him
Your heart's worry, He will soothe, though it looks slim
And in a hurry, your worry, He will bury, though heart is dim

[Your Name], Jesus knows your hearts love
Remind yourself of a white dove
Jesus will give you peace now
Your heart will say wow!!!
As His promises you trust
And don't give up and become rust!

Long ago, Jesus decided to already choose you
Though in the future what you will do, He did already view
[Your Name], your heart does not have Jesus, you cannot say
Because in you, He already lives each day
When Jesus chose you, with you He decided to stay
In Life, He will always be Your Way!
Whether it be Jan, Feb, Mar, etc or May
Didn't He for you His life lay?
Well then, for your sins, lovingly, He did the price pay
For you Jesus shed His blood
Though all around sin covered you like a flood

Now with God's covenant He did seal
All your heart's hurts, wounds, and worries He will heal
Christ's presence in your heart, you will have the zeal!

After sharing this counseling poem and the accompanying prayer, my mommy did feel a lot better.

That was not the end of the story for this poem. One Easter afternoon, I felt that I should go online because there was someone in need who needed the Lord. I did not know the exactly details but I trusted the Lord and followed being open to the Holy Spirit.

I went online and created a live counseling channel. A 24 year old female came into the channel and shared with me what she was going through. I shared 'Never Forsaken' with her and asked her if she wanted to invite Jesus Christ into her heart. She told me 'Yes' and I asked her to repeat the prayer I was praying sentence by sentence after me. She did pray and gave her life to Christ.  Sadly, after that I lost touch with her.

One day, I was shocked to get an envelope with a letter in the mail. In the letter she wrote, because of that day she became a Christian and later her husband became a Christian because of her. Not only that but she was pregnant with a child. It did not end there but she also sent a check for ministry so that I could continue doing ministry. 

It is a good thing I obeyed the Holy Spirit's nudging and went ahead with ministry on Easter Sunday and a soul got saved that day! MeeLi, a prayer warrior from our church reminds me that the Christian walk is not about programs and rigidity but following after the Holy Spirit's leading. I am glad I did that that day!

 Jesus says, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you. I will come to you.'

Connecting it back to Matt 1:22-23 and IMMANUEL, this wilderness and dryness without feeling the presence of the Lord or hearing the voice of the Lord was not anything new to the Jewish people.

I asked myself what are the implications for my own life?
The implications for my life are profound in two ways for me. First, when I believe in Jesus, I will actually be believing in God. Belief in God can be proved by Jesus, who became God-incarnate to live among us. John 1 shows that the Word became flesh to dwell among us. In the Gospel of John, I remember Jesus also using 'I AM' 7 different times representing a characteristic of God showing His Divinity to point to the people that He is 'Immanuel-God with us'. This is how the Lord had revealed himself to the prophet Moses when the Lord said, 'I AM that I AM'.

Not only that but when the Angel of the Lord promised Joseph that God will be with them in Jesus, the Angel of the Lord is even letting me know when I have Jesus in me, I will have 'Immanuel-God with us' in me. That is so exciting and awesome to know that the Creator of the Universe loves me so much that He came down to earth to live among us to love and serve us and made the Ultimate Sacrifice by laying down His life for us so that we could be saved. Thank you so much Jesus.

I ask you now dear friend, what does I.M.M.A.N.U.E.L mean to you?
Dear friend, whether you feel Jesus Christ in your life or not, know for sure that He lives in you when you give your life to Him. He will never abandon you nor leave you. He promises to be with you whether you feel His presence or not. We cannot go by feelings but on faith. There may sometimes be times for months and even years where you may feel like you are in the wilderness and going through a dry season but the Lord Jesus, your Immanuel will never leave you or me when we turn to Him. This dryness sometimes becomes that much more serious when we face tragedy or sorrow but God is still there. He has not abandoned us in our sorrow.

So friend, whatever you are going through, come as you are in your pain, suffering, sorrow, or tragedy to the Lamb of God, to your 'Immanuel - God with us' who wants to walk with you and talk with you. He wants to comfort you and strengthen you in your pain. Help Oh Lord! Jesus loves you so much and will be there for you in your pain and sorrow. Yes, He will friend for He wants to be your Immanuel which means God with us. God wants to be with you whatever you are going through.

If you are struggling relationally, financially, academically, mentally, psychologically, emotionally, etc you can turn to the Lord for comfort and strength to get you through. He has not abandoned you no matter what the sorrow and pain you maybe going through or those you know are going through. He weeps with you when you are weeping. He wants to comfort you in His bosom of love. Yes, He does friend. Help rescue us Oh Lord!

In this season, where we sing 'O Come O Come Emmanuel' come ransom us from our captivity,  the words to this song are so powerful.

I want you to trust in the Lord Jesus whatever you are going through. Never let anyone make you ask yourself, 'Where was God?' in wilderness and dryness. He is right beside you suffering and weeping with you. We live in a sin infested world that is a deadly virus and only the love of Christ and His blood shed to ransom us from the captivity of sin and death can save us from the evil one.

One day all suffering and sorrow will cease as the evil one will be bound and vanquished as the Lord Jesus will return. Until then we have to be vigilant wearing the Armor of God as mentioned in Ephesians 6 to fight evil. For evil is prevalent even to this day.

It is in a world marred with sin that Jesus came to be God with us. He will be with you whatever you are going through. Let His Word comfort you and guide you as you read and pray the Psalms.  Yes, friend.

This Christmas season of 2023 bring the wounded and suffering to  Jesus, the friend of a wounded heart. He will be with you comforting you with the comfort only He can provide. His comfort will show that He is looking after you. For He is Immanuel - God with us! Lord Jesus come!

May you experience Immanuel in your life now and forever more this Christmas season!

"Inspirationally Messiah Makes All Now Understand Emmanuel's Love! (I.M.M.A.N.U.E.L)"/"What does Immanuel mean to you?"

Prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus, thank you so much for becoming our Immanuel - God with us. You Oh Lord are right with us. It is amazing to know that the God of the Universe, the Creator of Heaven and Earth, came down into this world to become one of us to ransom us held in captivity to the evil one. We pray Oh Lord for those in the prison of the evil one, that you Oh Lord would come and deliver them. Please Oh Lord. Thank you for your love. Oh Lord, evil hates love and will try to destroy it.  You will protect Oh Lord. Thank you so much Jesus. Thanks so much for giving your Word to us and for those that can be in your presence instead of the evil one's. Thank you for the cross and the power of the cross. Come comfort the wounded and broken hearted with your love. Help us to always feel your presence and even when we don't, thank you Lord that you keep your Word and are always with us. Your Word says you will never leave us or forsake us. In Your Precious Name I Pray Jesus! Amen!