Immanuel - God With Us: A 6-Day Advent Devotional From the Team at Gather25Sample

The story of the Bible begins in Genesis, with God’s creation of the world. Genesis 1 walks us through God’s incredible power and might as he creates light, the waters and the heavens; land, plants, the sun and the moon; fish, birds and all other animals. The pinnacle of his created world came on the sixth day, when God created Adam and Eve “in his own image.”

In the first chapters of Genesis, before sin entered the world, Adam and Eve experienced a peaceful, flourishing existence in the beautiful Garden of Eden. Can you imagine this life? A life with no striving, no pain, no guilt and no shame? This was God’s perfect and beautiful plan for his people.

But the best part of all was that God himself, in a physical, tangible way, was present there with them. Genesis 3:8 describes Adam and Eve hearing “the sound of the Lord God walking in the cool of the day,” and God having an audible conversation with them. What a precious gift it must have been to them to have God, the creator of the universe, walking and talking with them in the garden!

However, when Adam and Eve chose to sin by disobeying God, everything changed – not just for them, but for all of us. Romans 5:12 tells us, “Just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned.” Adam and Eve also had to leave the garden. They would no longer live their days in the physical presence of God himself.

But God - in his goodness and love - did not curse them to die or banish them from the garden without hope. As he addressed the serpent who had deceived them, he foretold of the Savior Son who would set everything right one day. He had already made a way for his own son to conquer sin and death and rescue his people.

The story of God that unfolds throughout the rest of Scripture is, in many ways, a picture of the lengths he will go to to be with us, even though we are all sinners. He is our Immanuel, our Savior and Redeemer. He wants to be with you now and forevermore, and he wants you to share the good news of his rescue plan with as many people as possible too.

Jesus, Thank you for your plan to rescue me even though I am a sinner. This Advent season, I ask that you will remind me of your goodness and love as I experience your presence in new ways.

Reflect: Imagine what it might have been like to walk and talk with God himself in the Garden of Eden. What would you talk with him about? How do you think you would feel in his presence?