“Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:
‘Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
and they shall call his name Immanuel”
(which means, God with us)’”
- Matthew 1:20b-23 ESV
There is something about waiting for a baby that changes things in a home… in a family.
The rooms don’t look any different yet, but everything feels different.
Time seems to slow down and speed up all at once.
We watch the calendar.
We listen closely.
We imagine tiny hands, first cries, sleepless nights, and a whole new chapter arriving right on schedule… or not.
As we wait for the birth of my daughter’s baby boy, there is an awareness that grows stronger every day:
Someone Is Coming.
Not just any someone — a life that will be with us… and change us and our family dynamic forever.
And that sense of anticipation helps us understand Christmas.
“The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God with us’).” — Matthew 1:23
God did not send a message from afar.
He did not shout instructions from heaven.
He came near.
Just as my daughter’s baby will not remain an idea, a sonogram, or a future hope…
Jesus did not remain a promise alone.
He arrived in flesh and blood, wrapped in humility, born into a family, entering our world the same way we all do — vulnerable and dependent.
When a baby is born, everything changes.
Schedules change.
Sleep changes.
Priorities change.
Love deepens in ways you didn’t know were possible.
That is what Emmanuel means.
God with us does not mean God watching us.
It means God entering our mess, our joy, our fear, our ordinary days and long nights.
Jesus did not come to be admired from a distance.
He came to be held, followed, trusted, and loved.
As we prepare to welcome a new life into our family, we are reminded that God understands waiting, hope, and the ache of expectation. He understands the sacredness of birth and the power of presence.
And just as the child will grow, learn, stumble, and be surrounded by love, Jesus came to walk with us through every season of life — not just at Christmas, but every day that follows.
Emmanuel is not a holiday word…
It is a daily promise.
God is with us in the quiet moments.
With us in the uncertainty.
With us in joy, exhaustion, and new beginnings.
This Christmas, as we celebrate the birth of our Savior and we await the birth of a precious child, may we remember this simple truth:
We are never alone.
God has come near.
God has stayed near.
Emmanuel — God with us.
Lord, thank You for new life, for holy anticipation, and for the gift of Your presence. Help us to live each day aware that You are with us, now and always. Amen.
Keep the Faith… Carpe Diem
