"Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God." Revelation 21:3

The classic Christmas hymn, “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” is a heart-stirring cry for God to be with us. “Emmanuel” means “God with us,” and that’s exactly who Jesus is. He is the eternal Son of God made flesh. Jesus came into the creation he made to be with his people and to save them from their sins.

We were created to dwell with God and enjoy his presence, but we separated ourselves from him by our sin. Jesus died, rose again, and ascended to heaven to deal with our sin once and for all, but the echoes of our rebellion still reverberate throughout our world. That’s why we long for Jesus to come again—to restore all things to the way they ought to be. When he returns, bringing heaven to earth, we will finally and fully enjoy everlasting life with God himself.

Each day leading up to Christmas morning we’ll walk through the storyline of the Bible, taking care to notice the recurring theme of God’s presence. May you be stirred to savor Jesus’s incarnation and worship while we await his return!

Song: O Come, O Come, Emmanuel