Quote from Forum Archives on December 21, 2010, 2:14 pm

Posted by: edwrather <edwrather@...>

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The Burning Bush Devotional
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Classic from 2004

12.21.10

Immanuel

Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was
betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of
the Holy Spirit. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting
to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. But while
he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him
in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you
Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.
And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He
will save His people from their sins." So all this was done that it might be
fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: "Behold,
the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name
Immanuel," which is translated, "God with us." Then Joseph, being aroused
from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his
wife, and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And
he called His name JESUS. - Matthew 1:18-15.

We human beings have visited the Planet Mars by sending robot explorers
known as "rovers". Currently (2004), there are two active rovers on Mars,
with the names of "Spirit" and "Opportunity". There is an interesting
phenomenon that is occurring with the rover Opportunity. When the rovers
first landed on the planet, their solar cells provided 900 watt-hours of
power for each robot explorer. However, Spirit's electrical output declined
to around 400 watt-hours in part because of the Martian dust covering the
solar panels. At first, the electrical output of Opportunity also declined
down to about 500 watt-hours. Opportunities' output inexplicably has
increased to just over 900 watt-hours of power. Rover team leader Jim
Erickson at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, told
New Scientist (newscientist.com) that "A process still not understood has
repeatedly removed dust from the solar panels. These exciting and
unexplained cleaning events have kept Opportunity in really great shape."

Apparently, something is with the Opportunity rover on the Planet Mars
assisting it in the performance of the needed exploration functions. SomeOne
is with us. That SomeOne is Immanuel, God with us. God did not send a robot
explorer to visit our planet. Instead, God came Himself to walk among us as
one of us to experience all that we experience. God came as a tiny baby born
destined to suffer and die for our sins.

For those of us who know Jesus as our Savior, the Holy Spirit, God Himself
has come into our lives. We have been "born again" and "sealed until the day
of redemption". God lives within us (1 Corinthians 3:16-17) and experiences
all that we experience. Each step of every day God is with the Christian
walking with them. No, God may not spare us from the problems and
difficulties of this imperfect/corrupt world in which we live. But as with
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego (Daniel 3), He will go with us through
them. "All things" do "work together for good to those who love God, to
those who are the called according to His purpose." If, we love God, and
walk with Him according to His will and purpose for our lives.

Immanuel, God is with us! Let us rejoice!

Copyright © 2004-2010. Ed Wrather. Permission is given for use of the
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version of the Burning Bush Devotional was first sent. Ed Wrather began
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