Battles And Front Lines Devotional By Rita Springerಮಾದರಿ

The Everywhere God

As a child, the concept that God was everywhere seemed magical. I used to think He was like the Invisible Man. I longed even then to see Him, hear Him, and to be seen and heard by Him in return. Christ was given the name Immanuel, which means “God with us.” Twelve years ago, I adopted a baby boy whose Zimbabwean birth mother gave him a Shona name that means the very same thing. That name holds great value and reminds our household that no matter what, God is with us.

In Matthew, God told Joseph an incredible story in a dream that seems unbelievable (Matthew 1:23 NIV). Think for a moment about how the validity of that dream could have been questioned more than any other dream. God told Joseph something outrageous and gave him a name that described the child in Mary’s womb. He woke up to simply obey and believe. I talk to many people who question God being with them. How can God be everywhere and right here all at the same time? I hear others speak about a circumstance and wonder, “Where was God?” When Immanuel came, He never left. The where is God is the right here is God. 

When I wrote the song, “Our God Is With Us,” I remember receiving that chorus first and just singing it over and over. “Our God is with us, our God is with us, He will never leave.” God knows our weakness in believing that He can be everywhere all at once. God knew what Joseph needed to get through what was about to happen, and God knows what you need. When God has a plan, nothing can stop it except your doubt in His nearness. If tonight you were given a dream of completing a task that seemed impossible, yet God told you that Immanuel would be with you the whole way, would you wake up to obey or would you run in doubt? The lyrics to the bridge of the song say, “He is for us, no one can stop what he’s doing. He is with us; we will see all that he’s promised.” Mary and Joseph didn’t fear because they were promised Immanuel. God was with them in the form of Jesus. Jesus is still with us. My prayer is that you stop doubting and just believe it.