Behold (3)

Emmanuel, God with us. If God is with us in our nature, then he is with us in his love; 'and if God is with us, who shall be against us?' (Rom. 8:31). For this Emmanuel has taken our nature forever; he has taken it into heaven with him. God and we will forever be in good terms, because God in our nature is forever in heaven, as an intercessor appearing for us. There is no fear of a breach now; for our Brother is in heaven, our Husband is in heaven, to preserve an everlasting union and peace between God and us.
Let us make use of this Emmanuel in all our troubles. He did not take a superior nature, but he took our poverty, our humanity. He is poor with the poor, afflicted with the afflicted, persecuted with the persecuted. He is deserted with those who are deserted, he suffers with those who suffer. He is able to pity and comfort us in our disgrace, in our conflict with God, in our terror of conscience, and in all our temptations and assaults by Satan. Let us not lose the comforts of this sweet name. In the hour of death, think of Emmanuel. Fear not to go to the grave, Emmanuel has been there. He will go into the grave; he will bring us out of the dust again; for Emmanuel is God with us; who is God over death, over sin, over the wrath of God, blessed for evermore, and triumphant over all. We know that nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus (Rom. 8:35).
He is not only God with us in our nature, but he is also God for us in heaven. He is God in us by his Spirit. He is God amongst us in our meetings, 'Where two or three are gathered together in my name, I will be in the midst of them' (Matt. 18:20). He is also God for us in heaven; to defend and intercede for us. Therefore, let us enlarge our comforts by this as much as we can.

Devotional Readings taken from Puritan Richard Sibbes 'Refreshment for the Soul.'
Miracle of Miracles, Works, vol. 7, pp. 113-15
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