Tuesday 14 March: God is with us

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Reassuring promises of God

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Bible reading: John 14.15–21

Back in the Old Testament, when God’s people were facing desperate times and a ruthless enemy, God promised them a sign: ‘a young woman who is pregnant will have a son and will name him “Immanuel”’ (Isaiah 7.14). That prophecy was directly relevant to the delivery of God’s people in Isaiah’s time, but Matthew picks it up in his Gospel and applies it to the birth of Jesus: ‘Now all this happened in order to make what the Lord had said through the prophet come true’. And he tells us that Immanuel means, ‘God is with us’ (1.22–23). 

That word ‘with’ is full of meaning. We use it when we ask someone to go for a walk with us. We use it to describe a relationship – so-and-so is ‘with’ someone. We use it to express support – ‘We’re with you!’ It’s how we talk about adding something alongside something else – ‘I’ll have coffee with milk.’ Or it’s how we might express the way one thing complements another – this coat goes with that bag. 

It's a very rich word – and God is with us, firstly through the birth of Jesus as one of us, ‘with us’ in all his humanity, but also through his Spirit – who, Jesus says, will ‘stay with you forever’ (John 14.16). 

We could spend a lifetime exploring what it means for the Holy Spirit to be ‘with’ us. But those ideas of empowerment, relationship and enrichment are all part of how we experience God’s continuing faithfulness as he keeps his covenant.

This reflection was written by Mark Woods, Head of Communications at Bible Society.