I was in Tanzania on a missions trip a few months back. This was my fourth trip to Africa in two years. For a multitude of reasons, this trip was very difficult for me. But the most alarming thing I suffered from was my own fear.

I am in awe of the name Emmanuel. It’s my favorite name for Jesus. The literal translation is “God with us”. This name tells me that Jesus really wants to be with me. He wants to grace me with his nearness. That the tangible nearness I crave is aligned with his desire to be near. Awesome!

I’ve heard it said that it’s not healthy to be overly concerned with the devil. Agreed. But it’s absolutely detrimental to the soul to be clueless about him. I’ve heard it said that it’s not healthy to believe that there’s a devil around every corner. Agreed. But it’s absolutely detrimental to ignore the devil on your corner.