Immanuel
Scripture Reading — Psalm 121
The LORD will keep you from all harm—he will watch over your life.
Psalm 121:7
Have you heard about the reality show called Fear Factor? It’s really disgusting to see people swallowing worms and lying down with rats to get money and fame. But these things sometimes happen in real life—and not by choice.
Yesterday I mentioned the movie Life Is Beautiful. It brought back memories of my visit with Brother Li, one of our listeners in China. On the wall of his family room were four big letters in Chinese, Yi Ma Nei Li, meaning “Immanuel” in English. These words were not written or painted; they were made from tree roots. During the Cultural Revolution in China, things were really bad in some remote areas. Li and others were literally starving. They would eat whatever living things they could get their hands on, even cockroaches and rodents. Then they dug underground to find ants and worms. Finally they started eating the roots of trees for food and water.
Many people died in those days, but Brother Li never lost hope. He eventually made it through. Li said that when he moved into his new home, he started shaping the word “Immanuel” out of tree roots. He wanted to remind himself and his family every day that God was with him, is with him, and will be with him always.
Do you trust and know this Immanuel (which means “God with us”)? Do you trust him as Li does?
Jesus, thank you for being Immanuel, “God with us.” Help us to live confidently each day, knowing that you will keep us from all harm. In your name we pray. Amen.
About the author — Jimmy Tai-On Lin
Rev. Jimmy Lin is the Chinese ministry leader of The Back to God Hour. With his staff in Palos Heights and Hong Kong, Rev. Lin has ministered to over 1.3 billion Chinese-speaking people around the world for 16 years through radio, literature, CD/DVD, Internet, and text message. His wife, Doris, is one of the translators of Today into the Chinese language, which now has a circulation of more than 45,000 copies.
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