God With Us

I just have to say, I love my church. We started going to Journey in La Mesa, CA in October this year and really get a lot out of Pastor Ed's messages. I get choked up every Sunday and usually head home with a convicted heart and inspiration to be better.

This past weekend's message title was "God With Us" and what it really implies. Being that we're now heavily in the Christmas season, I immediately thought of the song, Emmanuel, God With Us. That's right, the God-Man (Jesus) was named Emmanuel. When Jesus was born, God was with us.

GOD WITH US

Think about it.

What does that mean?

To me it means that God is with me - ALWAYS!

We had a time of reflection toward the end of the message. Two minutes to have God reveal to us times in our lives that he was with us. I closed my eyes and just watched all the scenes flash through my head. It was like a slideshow of my entire life on fast-forward. God revealed to me something that I've suspected all along - He has always been with me! (ok, tears are forming)

I don't know why he chose to be with me from the time that I can barely remember until now (and for eternity). My parents started going to church when I was 1 yr old. At 5, I had already been attending AWANA Cubbies for a couple years, and started going to a Christian school. So, you could say that's why. But I don't think so... At 6, I raised my hand in chapel to be led in prayer to accept Jesus into my heart. I'd like to say it was a life changing experience, but really, what it was, was me deciding that I wanted the God who was already with me to always be with me. I already loved God with all my heart, mind and soul. I already accepted the fact that he sent his only son (God with us) to earth to die on a cross for MY (and the whole world's) sins so that I could be saved. I already knew I was a sinner and needed him. But I had not prayed and asked him to be in my heart. So, on that day, I sealed the deal :)

And since that day, God has never left my side. He has always been with me! So yesterday, with my eyes closed, I saw me sitting alone and sad at school, missing my mom; I saw kids being mean to me; I saw me moving away from all my friends to a new, unfamiliar place; I saw me being told college was going to be too expensive and my dreams being stripped away; I saw me losing loved ones to cancer, suicide, and more; and I saw me stressed and overwhelmed with life as a working mom, who just wants to have more time with my family.

GOD WITH US.

He was with me through all of it. And in those moments, he may have been quiet. But he was there, holding my hand. And looking back, now I can see that he really was there!

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart."
- Jeremiah 29:11-13