God With Us

"Look!  The virgin will conceive a child! 

She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel,

which means, 'God with us.'"

Matthew 1:23

I am reminded today that God is with us everywhere.  He is with us when we are helping others and when we are making supper for our families.  He is with us when we are at work and when we are shopping.  God is with us when we are visiting a friend in the hospital or when we are saying goodbye to a loved one.  God is with us when we conquer an addiction and when we make the decision to live for Him.  He is with us when we are on vacation, walking the dog and making that 5th trip to after school activities.  God is with us when we are relaxing on the couch and when we are babysitting for the neighbors 6 kids.  God is with us when we've been hurt.  And although many of these things listed are places of comfort and good, God doesn't stop there.  God is also with us when we hurt others.  God is with us when we gossip, when we get angry and burst out at a friend or child.  God is with us when we avoid that poor man on the corner.  God is with us when we talk negative to ourselves and others.  God is with us when we give into addiction.  God is with us when we take up our idols and when we dabble in adultery.  God is with us when we feel hate towards that person who hurt us.  God is with us!  

All the time He is with us and His Spirit is waiting to lead us.  I don't like the idea of God being with me when I am doing things I shouldn't.  I can't stand the thought of dragging him along to the bad things I do!  But, friend there is no place He would rather be.  He loves me and you.  He wants to help us in our struggles and our sin.  He doesn't want us left behind and so he invests in us and gives us His life.  

Dear God,

Forgive me for the times I take you to places that break your heart.  Help me to make better choices and remember that you are with me everywhere I go.  When things are hard you are always right there.  When I am wrong you never leave my side.  God you are so faithful and loving and patient with me and I thank you for being so amazing.  Help me to feel you with me everywhere I go.  

Amen