Immanuel—With You Today

Immanuel—With You Today

 Isaiah 7:14 (NASB)

14 “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel.”

     On March 23, 1930, missionary Frank Laubach began a life-long experiment of practicing the presence of God. He wrote in his journal: “Can we have that contact with God all the time? All the time awake, fall asleep in His arms, and awaken in His presence, can we attain that? Can we do His will all the time? Can we think His thoughts all the time?” He wrote, “I choose to make the rest of my life an experiment in answering this question.” As he cultivated this habit, it transformed him. He later wrote, “Things which I did with a strain before, I now do easily and with no effort whatever. I worry about nothing and lose no sleep…. Even the mirror reveals a new light in my eyes.”

     We can enjoy God’s continual presence because the name Immanuel means “God with us.” His prophetically given name indicates the pouring out of God’s personal presence, like a waterfall, descending from highest heaven to lowest earth, giving us access to the flood of His nearness.

     Live consciously in His presence today! Think of Him. Listen to Him. Talk to Him. Remind yourself of His closeness. The One called Immanuel said, “I am with you always” (Matthew 28:20).