“The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”). (Matt. 1:23)
Expanded Passage: Matthew 1:23
It was a cold, pitch-black night in the West Paktika province of Afghanistan. My unit was stationed at Sharana, a large forward operating base (FOB) in an austere desert. I was their army chaplain. That evening, depression took hold like the grip of an anaconda. We had lost soldiers on this deployment. I had difficulty reaching my family back home because of connection issues. My devotions lapsed, and I felt . . . alone. This brand of loneliness gnawed at me, leaving me cold, distant, and unsettled.
Fortunately, I remembered that I am a child of God whose ubiquitous presence can be felt anywhere, no matter the geography. I cried out to God and discovered afresh, his name is Immanuel, “God with us.” Out of the pitch-black darkness came the resounding feeling that God was in that place with me, reassuring me and offering hope. In the weeks that followed, he provided me with a close brother in Christ that restored my faith. We memorized Scripture and prayed together each day in tents or sandy hills. My prayer and family connection was restored, and my devotions reacquired the warmth I desperately needed. I relearned that I am not alone. I am his own. You are too.
All of us can feel alone, even though we are never alone. The gift of God’s abiding presence can pull us out of the darkest, coldest nights we experience.
In your darkest hour, call on God first.
Jim Miller is a chaplain in the Army National Guard. He and his wife, Renee, live in Washington, DC, and enjoy spending time traveling with their two children. Jim recently released his first book, Vitamin T: Essential Biblical Truths for Growing Disciples (WPH).
© 2024 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.
