READ: MATTHEW 1:22-23; JOHN 8:1-11; ROMANS 8:1

The music blasted, and we sang so loud that dogs started barking. My car full of friends bounced as we moved to the thumping bass. Then—CRUNCH!

That wasn’t part of the song. Did I hit a mound of icy snow? I wondered. I opened my door and looked back. I had backed out into the driver’s side door of a pickup truck parked on the other side of the road. The fun video scavenger hunt we were on was officially over, and it was my fault. I sat frozen for a couple minutes, unsure what to do. I had never been in an accident before.

My friend suggested we go to the closest house and see whose truck it was. I was scared, and I think I would’ve sat there numb if it weren’t for my friend sitting with me and suggesting some next steps. We knocked on the door and explained the situation. My friend stayed with me and helped me with communicating when I couldn’t get the words out. Although it was a difficult situation, it helped having someone there with me.

I love how there are so many moments in God’s Word when Jesus simply sat with people, ate with people, sailed with people, stood with people—even when they had messed up in some big ways. One example of this is in John 8:1-11, when a group of religious leaders were about to put a woman to death by throwing stones at her because she was caught in adultery. They humiliated her, but Jesus stayed near her until all the threatening religious leaders left, one by one. Jesus didn’t condemn her—He wanted to forgive and restore her.

In Matthew 1:23, we see that Jesus has another name: “Immanuel” which means “God with us.” And He is. He is with us when we feel lonely, when we mess up, when we are frozen and don’t know what to do next. God is with us. • Amanda Gott

• Can you think of a time when someone stayed with you during a difficult situation?

• Jesus came to live among us—fully God and fully human. Because of God’s great love for us, He made the way for everyone who puts their trust in Him to be with God, no longer condemned but fully forgiven. He did this by dying on the cross for us and rising from the grave. If you want to know more about this, who are trusted Christians you can talk to? (Also check out our “Know Jesus” page.)

• If you’ve already put your trust in Jesus, can you think of a time(maybe a difficult situation) when you were reminded that God is right there with you? How did it feel?

“…and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”). Matthew 1:23 (NIV)