God of love, hope, grace and peace – Day 20

Immanuel, God with us. For us as Christians, this name is synonymous with the message of Christmas. John 1:14 says, “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” God takes the initiative to restore the relationship between himself and his children. He physically reached out to humanity, reached down, to be with us. He became human to identify with us.

In this name, “Immanuel, God with us”, is the greatest grace of all! God decided to get involved with us. He decided to give us another chance. What grace!

Simon Tugwell wrote, “God is the one we follow. He wants us. Our hope lies in his determination to save us. He will not fail.” We can rely on God who never gives up on us.

In his famous poem, The Hound of Heaven (1893), the English poet, Francis Thompson, describes God who, in his holy grace, “still with unhurrying chase/and unperturbed pace/deliberate speed, majestic instancy”, continues to pursue the wayward soul until he turns to God.

This image fills me with so much comfort and hope, because I can recall so many times in my life when I have not deliberately sought God’s presence; times when I have tried to escape from God, or nonchalantly carried on doing my own thing.

“The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”) Matthew 1:23.

God is with us. He jealously watches over his children. What grace!