Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Today, as we continue our Advent journey, I invite you to reflect on the prophecy in Isaiah 7:14, which says, "Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel." This verse foretells the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary.
As we consider this prophecy, let us remember that Jesus is not only our Savior, but also our Immanuel, which means "God with us." In Jesus, God came to dwell among us, to share in our humanity, and to save us from our sins. As we prepare for Christmas, let us also prepare our hearts to receive Jesus, our Immanuel, and to live in his presence every day.
In John 1:14, we read, "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." This verse reminds us that Jesus is the Word of God, who became flesh and lived among us. He is the fullness of grace and truth, and in him, we see the glory of God.
As we reflect on these verses, let us give thanks for the gift of Jesus, our Immanuel. Let us also pray for the grace to live in his presence every day, to seek his will, and to share his love with others.
In closing, let us pray:
Dear Lord Jesus, our Immanuel, we thank you for coming to dwell among us and for being our Savior and our God. We ask for the grace to live in your presence every day, to seek your will, and to share your love with others. May your glory shine through us, and may we be a blessing to those around us. In your holy name, we pray. Amen.
