“The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).
Matthew 1:23 NIV

My dad, may he continue to rest in peace, was very much a present father. He was around for the big moments as well as the little ones. He was there to advise, to guide and watch over his own as best as he could. I’ll always remember that fondly, with gratitude, in my heart.

One such moment was when I went to apply for my national ID card. I could very well have done it by myself, but he chose to accompany me to the government offices, contend with the long queues that inevitably come with such places, and hold my hand through it all simply because he could and he wanted to. We stood for what seemed like an eternity in the queue outside the offices until, finally, we made it into the building. 

Inside, there was more queueing, but at least this time, there were benches to sit on. Mindful of me, he chose to continue standing instead so I could have a seat. I headed to the seat, and just as I was about to sit, this older gentleman rushed up and sat in the seat my dad had made sure to reserve for me. I was annoyed but I remembered my manners. “Excuse me,” I said, trying to get his attention politely and meekly.

I was ignored. I decided to leave it alone. After all, standing never hurt anybody. Unbeknownst to me, my dad had witnessed the whole thing because he had been standing nearby, a little to the side. “Excuse me,” he said and merely pointed to the bench. “Oh, would you like to sit?” the gentleman quickly and politely responded. “No,” daddy said, now pointing to me, “that’s my daughter.”

The man quickly caught on that he was being called out for what he had just done. My dad did not have to explain further or make a fuss. His authority as an adult and an older man in the patriarchal and hierarchical society I was born into was more than enough. The man apologised and made room for me to sit. I thanked him, sat down, and life went on as it should have to begin with. 

That incident jumped at me just now as I was praying about my faith, life, and intimacy with God and His response, as it has been many times, especially lately was, “I am with you.” I have been praying for a deeper and more personal revelation and understanding of what that means. I believe that if I understood that fact a lot better, then some of the fears and worries I face in my day-to-day life wouldn’t exist, or at least they would lose their power over me. I feel that if I understood the implications of God’s presence in a deeply personal and radical way, it would unlock a potential in my spiritual walk I have not attained yet. 

So, it is in this context that this story came to mind. I’ve heard that our relationship with our earthy fathers, be they biological or otherwise, can be a blueprint for our relationship with our Heavenly Father, and I’ll have to agree. This incident at the ID issuing office is a case in point. Sometimes, the enemy of our souls attacks us, seeking to gain territory that God has reserved for us. The enemy tries to steal what God has for us right from under us. Yet God will not allow it. As a good and present father who watches over us, He steps in. Just staking His claim on us as His children who belong solely to Him is enough to cause the enemy to fall back and release what is ours.

At other times, circumstances or other people’s actions unseat us. On other occasions, we give up our territory. Perhaps we respond with timidity or make excuses. But God sees it all and fights for us. He responds with grace and justice. He tips the scales in our favour. He does not allow us to be bullied, nor does He allow us to shrink back from our destiny in Him. With authority, He steps in on our behalf because we are His. God, being omnipotent, has the highest authority. No power can stand against Him, and if he is for us, no power can stand against us (Romans 8:31).

The cry of my heart is, “Lord, reveal what it truly means when you say you’re with me.” To me, this memory was a reminder, a glimpse of what it means when God says He is with us. What does “God with us” mean to you? What has God taught you and revealed about this aspect of His? Please share. I would love to hear your thoughts or experiences. Perhaps you have the same desire to know more intimately what the implications of God being with us really are. Stay tuned as I will share what God places on my heart as I continue to believe for that revelation.

May God take you deeper and reveal things you do not know. He says, “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.” Jeremiah 33:3 NIV 

Prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus, I thank you that you are ‘Immanuel, Lord with us’. You are my indwelling help and strength through every season of my life. I ask you today for a deep and personal revelation of You. Shine your face upon me and reveal more of your character, your ways and your power. I want to have intimate communion with you and understand more fully what your presence in my life means and looks like practically each day. All glory and praise, dominion and power, honour and strength belong to you. I worship You as Lord of my life and give you thanks. I wait on you with expectant hope as you reveal more of the great and unsearchable things I do not know.
Hallelujah and amen

Love,