God With Us

‘The Lord had said through the prophet: Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son, ​and they shall name him Emmanuel, which means “God is with us”.’ 

Matthew 1:22-23

“Can it indeed be that God dwells among men on earth?" This was King Solomon’s question in the book of 1 Kings 8:27. “If the heavens and the highest heavens cannot contain you, how much less this temple which I have built!" he continued in awe.  

Are we in awe when we pray to God? Are we amazed that God came down to our level to be with us, the Emmanuel? Do we marvel that the creator of Super novas, the majestic mountains, terrible typhoons, allows us to visit Him in churches built by human hands? And not only that, He wants, desires, longs, that we invite Him into the temple of our own feeble hearts.  He actually prefers to dwell in our hearts rather than the grand Cologne Cathedral, the historic Notre Dame in Paris, the awesome Sagrada Familia, no matter how beautiful they are. Do we welcome this season of Advent as a pilgrimage to walk more closely with the God who loves us so inconceivably?

One of my favorite songs is "More than Wonderful", best sang by Sandi Patty and Larnelle Harris. It goes, "I stand amazed when I think the King of Glory would come to live within me; I marvel just to know He really loves me, when I think of who He is and who I am. For He's more wonderful 

than my mind can conceive, 

He's more wonderful than 

my heart can believe; 

He goes beyond my highest hopes and fondest dreams; 

He's everything that my soul ever longed for, 

Everything He promised and so much more; 

More than amazing, More than marvelous, 

More than miraculous could ever be; 

He's more than wonderful; 

That's what Jesus is to me!"