"She will bear a Son, and you shall call His Name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins." All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: "Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and they shall call His Name Immanuel" (which means, God with us). (Matthew 1:21-23)

When I was little, I used to wonder: Why did Joseph call His name Jesus when the prophecy said they would call Him Immanuel? Now I think that maybe one name isn't enough to capture how wonderful Jesus is.

Let's take that first, ancient name—Immanuel, "God with us." It tells us just who Jesus is, doesn't it? He is God Most High, come down from heaven—and why? To be with us. To be one of us—a human being, suffering the same griefs and troubles we do, walking our road beside us. Jesus is the proof that God understands us—not just intellectually, but through experience. He has been there. There is nothing of our sorrow that He has not carried all the way to the cross.

But then there's the other Name—Jesus, "The Lord is salvation." Jesus is God come to be our Savior—the One who rescues us from the power of sin, death, and the devil. There is no evil so strong that He cannot conquer it and set His people free. If it costs Him His life—and it did—Jesus will rescue us and make us beloved, forgiven, cleansed children of God.

Maybe it takes two names to carry all His wonderfulness!

WE PRAY: Lord Jesus, our Immanuel—thank You for coming to us and saving us. Amen.

Reflection Questions:

* Do you know what your own name means?

* If you have given names to someone or something (a child, a pet), why did you choose those names?

* Why do you think God chose "The Lord is salvation" to be Jesus' Name rather than something like "The Lord is great"?

Advent Devotions were written by Dr. Kari Vo.

Today's Bible Readings: Esther 3-5    Revelation 12

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