[Discoveries] 12-16-08 God with us -- Matthew 1:23

[Inspiration in Your Inbox]

/*For those struggling financially ...*/
/*It is more blessed to give than to receive. I genuinely believe that. 
If you are a child of God, deep in your heart I know you do too. But let 
me show you the other side of the coin. It is more educational to 
receive. Here's what I mean. Accept help. Most of us hate to humble 
ourselves, to admit that our best efforts weren't good enough, that we 
tried and failed, that we are now in need. But understand this: All of 
us are needy. In one way or another, every single person is incomplete 
alone. By accepting help graciously when we need it, and offering help 
generously when we can, we acknowledge the truth God spoke in Genesis, 
when He said, "It is not good for man to be alone." I understand the 
application to marriage, but it goes beyond that. We need each other.*/

"/*The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they 
will call him Immanuel" -- which means, "God with us." -- Matthew 1:23*/

This is a switch. In Exodus 19, God makes it clear that we are allowed 
only so close. If anybody set foot on the mountain God was visiting, 
they were to be stoned or shot with arrows. But here in Matthew, God 
chooses to do more than just visit. He chooses to move in with us, to 
hang out where we hang out, to live among us common folk.

I had a professor in college who was like that. He brought his wife and 
kids to class one day. Then he invited any of us who wished to come over 
to his house. So I went, along with a few other students. Wow! They were 
nice. They were regular people, so much unlike those who showed up for 
class and then disappeared into that mysterious world of the rest of 
their lives.

Why did God move in with us? The answer is clear. He wanted to be close. 
He didn't want to go on being God at a distance. And so He did what it 
took to shorten the distance between us and Him. He remains God, beyond 
our understanding, beyond us in every category, yet Christ shows up as 
our elder Brother, as Family, as our Friend.

Be encouraged!
Dwight

What happens when you partner with Dwight Clough Ministries? Victims of 
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Discoveries Devotional -- Inspiration in Your Inbox is provided daily by
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