Matthew 1: 22-23 (Isaiah 7:14) 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 23 “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”(which means “God with us”).

Before Adam and Eve’s “Fall” and expulsion from Eden; as well as with their descendants like Enoch… God “walked” with His people.

Exodus 29: 4-6 44 “So I will consecrate the tent of meeting and the altar and will consecrate Aaron and his sons to serve me as priests.  45 Then I will dwell among the Israelites and be their God. 46 They will know that I am the Lord their God, who brought them out of Egypt so that I might dwell among them. I am the Lord their God.”

my dwelling place among you, and I will not reject you. 12 I will walk Leviticus 26: 11-12 11  “I will put my dwelling place among you, and I will not reject you.  12 I will walk  among you and be your God, and you will be My people.”

10 “Shout and be glad, Daughter Zion. Zechariah 2: 10-11 10 “Shout and be glad, Daughter Zion.  For I am coming, and I will live among you,” declares the Lord. 11 “Many nations will be joined with the Lord in that day and will become my people.”

John 1:14 “The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

On his deathbed at age 88, John Wesley (the founder of Methodism) lifted his hands and voice to his friends who had gathered around him to say, “The best of all is…God is with us!”

Revelation 21:3 “I heard a loud voice shout from the throne: God’s home is now with His people. He will live with them, and they will be His own. Yes, God will make His home among His people.”

May we live out our days in gratitude As we live in this “in-between time” after Jesus’ first coming at Christmas and in anticipation of his return again one day… May we live out our days in gratitude and humility, matching God’s desire to be with us by spending time with Him!