During Advent, my 5-year-old son, Jon, drew this picture. As part of one of our Good Dirt devotionals, we asked the kids to draw what it looked like for Jesus to come to earth. "This is great, buddy!" I said. "I can see baby Jesus in the manger on the left. And who is that on the right?" Jon answered, "That's God, dancing in the hay!"
His words have stuck with me ever since. I loved Jon's view of God, just dancing away, as His son was born here on earth. We spent much of Advent talking about Matthew 1:23: “'Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel' (which means, God with us)." And in the weeks since then, I have thought about how Immanuel is not just for Christmas time. God is still with us. God is always with us.
On Christmas morning, celebrating the birth of Christ. God with us.
During visits with loved family members who don't know God's saving grace. God with us.
Waking up each morning, going to bed each evening. God with us.
When the doctor says, "It could be cancer." God with us.
On a birthday, rejoicing in another year of life. God with us.
In every day, every moment, every laugh, every tear. God with us.
Last Christmas morning, we wanted to find a special way to remind ourselves that God is constantly with us. My husband suggested that every time we hear a beep--any beep, coming from anything--we all say, "God is with us!" Do you know how many times something beeps through out an average day? The phone, the computer, the car, the washer and dryer, the toys... so many beeps in this society. And every time: "God is with us!" I still think this (almost) every time I hear a beep. Our Good Dirt devotionals have kept God with us at the forefront of my mind, and I am so grateful. Because we need Immanuel all the time.
Beep!
~Carolyn