These are words from the Old Testament that are often heard in services near Christmastime . The name Immanuel means 'God with us'. The message is one of blessing - the birth of this promised child will show that God is with and for his people. The Christian claim is that in the birth of Jesus, God has come to us in a very special way - that it is God himself who is with us in the person of Jesus Christ.
The proclamation that 'God is with us' is central to the Christmas message. But these are not only words for Christmas; they are words that can hold true for us each and every day of our lives. No matter what our circumstances - whether we are happy or sad, confident of doubtful - God is still with us, sharing in our joy or pain, in the ups and downs of life. On his deathbed, some of John Wesley's last words were the exclamation that 'God is with us'. Indeed, a short time later he said the same words again - as if to emphasis their importance! In death as in birth, then, we can be sure that God is truly with us.
The conviction that 'God is with us' has been fundamental to the Methodist story. This coming year of 2007 sees some important anniversaries for Methodists - it will be the 300th anniversary of the birth of Charles Wesley who wrote many of the early Methodist hymns; the 200th anniversary of the Primitive Methodist movement, with its emphasis on revival and renewal; and the 75th anniversary of Methodist Union, which saw the coming together of the majority of Methodists in Great Britain in 1932. Each of these events has been a blessing for the Methodist movement, evidence that God is indeed with us. Our task as Methodists today is to reaffirm our conviction that God is with us in all that we speak and do, and that we are with God in our commitment to be his faithful people and in seeking to do his will in the world.
I hope that you have a wonderful celebration this Christmas, rejoicing and resting in the truth that GOD IS WITH US!
Phil Drake