LIVING WORD DEVOTIONAL
By Pastor Mensa Otabil
Monday 13th December 2021
IMMANUEL
Scripture Reading: Isaiah 7
“Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.” Isaiah 7:14
The passage tells us three things about the birth of Christ.
1. The first is that His birth was a sign from the Lord.
God marked the birth of Christ with something unique to separate our Lord’s birth from all other births.
2. The second is that He was conceived by a virgin. Many people stumble at the h would be a sign. Christ is the only one to be truly born of a virgin.
3. The third is His name. Jesus is our Immanuel – God with us. He is with us when we are happy and with us when we are sad. He is with us on the mountain top and in the valley. He is with us when all our friends abandon us. He is always present, always there and always for us.
He is present to meet your needs and to lift your burdens. He is present to hold up your head and deliver you from shame and disgrace. He is with you today to walk with you and talk with you. It is His desire to set a table before you and adorn your body in beautiful garments. This Christmas season, you can trust God for a divine supply for yourself and your family.
Christmas is generally a time of joy and fellowship. It is a time when families get-together to remember their blessings. However, Christmas can also be a time of great loneliness and sadness for those who do not have their families with them and those who do not have the resources to buy all the merchandise that is associated with Christmas – decorations, trees, food, clothing, gifts. For those who feel a sense of anxiety and dread, God says, ‘Fear not – Immanuel.’ God is with you!
Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for your presence with me and your power at work in me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.