Podcasts about God with us

Advent is a season of waiting, longing, and hope. In this Advent series, we slow down and tell the truth about the world as it is, fractured, weary, and aching for peace, while holding onto the deeper promise of the world God is bringing into being. Walking through key passages from Isaiah and the story of Jesus, these messages explore what it means to trust God's presence when it feels hidden, to hope when circumstances feel broken, and to believe that God is still at work even when renewal seems impossible. Advent reminds us that God does not wait for ideal conditions to act. He comes near, enters the ache we live with, and grows peace in places that look too broken to restore.

Advent is a season of waiting, longing, and hope. In this Advent series, we slow down and tell the truth about the world as it is, fractured, weary, and aching for peace, while holding onto the deeper promise of the world God is bringing into being. Walking through key passages from Isaiah and the story of Jesus, these messages explore what it means to trust God's presence when it feels hidden, to hope when circumstances feel broken, and to believe that God is still at work even when renewal seems impossible. Advent reminds us that God does not wait for ideal conditions to act. He comes near, enters the ache we live with, and grows peace in places that look too broken to restore.

Advent is a season of waiting, longing, and hope. In this Advent series, we slow down and tell the truth about the world as it is, fractured, weary, and aching for peace, while holding onto the deeper promise of the world God is bringing into being. Walking through key passages from Isaiah and the story of Jesus, these messages explore what it means to trust God's presence when it feels hidden, to hope when circumstances feel broken, and to believe that God is still at work even when renewal seems impossible. Advent reminds us that God does not wait for ideal conditions to act. He comes near, enters the ache we live with, and grows peace in places that look too broken to restore.

If God is loving and Jesus is truly God, why is there so much suffering? In this sermon from The Skeptic's Guide to a Jewish Rabbi, we approach this painful question by looking at Jesus' baptism, where he steps into the water alongside a suffering people and identifies fully with our broken world. Rather than offering easy answers, this message reflects on a God who meets us in solidarity, bears our pain in love, and shows us that suffering does not have the final word. This sermon is for anyone who carries questions, grief, or longing and wonders where God is in the midst of it all.

Isaiah 7

No matter who you are, what you've lived through, or where you've come from, the story of how God relentlessly pursues us has the power to change our lives. He chose to come down to our messy, broken world, to prove His great love. Rather than us reaching up to heaven, heaven came down to earth. --- In the good and the bad, the mountains and the valleys, God is with you. Tune in to Week Four of God With Us as Pastor Skyler touches on how even in the waiting, God is with us!

Annie Ellis kicks starts our new series 'God with us'.

Series: N/AService: SermonType: SermonSpeaker: Ralph Walker

Immanuel - God With Us.One of the most beautiful names given to Christ in Scripture is Immanuel which means “God With Us”. When we place our trust in Jesus we do not have to walk through life alone — He will be with us — and He promises never to leave us nor forsake us! Join Michele as she shares how God has proven this to be true in her own life.To learn more about Michele or to support this international ministry please visit https://intheword.com

FPC Knoxville's 1/4/26 Sunday Sermon - “God-With-Us” - Rev. Mark Curtis  (Matthew 2:1-12/Isaiah 60:1-6)Hymn of Response - "Rise Up, Shepherd, and Follow" performed by Scott Scheetz and our adult choir.Prayers of the People and The Lord's Prayer by Rev. Dr. Meredith Loftis 

Elder Jim Sellers www.NorthwestOrlando.com

Christmas Eve Worship 2025 | Michelle preaches a sermon about the incarnation entitled "The Material God"

December 24th. Matthew 1:18-25.

Pastor Alex Sagot

Pastor Zack highlights not just knowing about Jesus and his birth at Christmas but encountering Jesus in a season that can be lonely for many. 

Make sure you subscribe to this channel and follow us on all our platforms to always stay up to date with our latest content!And you can always head over to our website for any general information!https://godspeak.comPrayer/NeedsIf you have any needs, or have a willingness to be used to meet various need in the body, please email info@godspeak.com. Also, let us know if you need prayer for anything.Giving is part of our worship time, and in this season, the easiest way to do that is online. If you go to our website, godspeak.com, you will see the "Give" tab in the top right corner. Or you can simply click this link https://pushpay.com/g/godspeakAny questions?Please feel free to email us, comment here, or DM us on Instagram any questions that you may have.Please Subscribe to this channel and turn on your notifications to be notified when our Livestreams start so you don't miss out! We hope you are blessed by the service!-The Godspeak Team

Make sure you subscribe to this channel and follow us on all our platforms to always stay up to date with our latest content!And you can always head over to our website for any general information!https://godspeak.comPrayer/NeedsIf you have any needs, or have a willingness to be used to meet various need in the body, please email info@godspeak.com. Also, let us know if you need prayer for anything.Giving is part of our worship time, and in this season, the easiest way to do that is online. If you go to our website, godspeak.com, you will see the "Give" tab in the top right corner. Or you can simply click this link https://pushpay.com/g/godspeakAny questions?Please feel free to email us, comment here, or DM us on Instagram any questions that you may have.Please Subscribe to this channel and turn on your notifications to be notified when our Livestreams start so you don't miss out! We hope you are blessed by the service!-The Godspeak Team

This is week 4 of our Christmas message series, Emmanuel: God With Us. In this weeks message Pastor teaches on the second coming of Jesus. What does the Bible say about this and how does this impact the Christians every day life? Stay connected! If you're new, we'd love to connect. Please fill out our online connect card here: https://riveroflifechurchag.churchcenter.com/people/forms/529194 If you need prayer, you can text us at: (833) 235-5760 All socials and registration links can be found here: https://linktr.ee/riveroflifechurchag

In this final message of the Rejoice series, Pastor Jim teaches from Luke 2 and explores the angelic announcement to the shepherds, showing how the glory of God should evoke great fear—yet through Jesus, that fear gives way to great joy and peace on earth. He reminds us that God's holiness is overwhelming and unapproachable, like lightning that should consume us, but in Jesus, that immense power is made near and safe, wrapped in flesh and laid in a manger. Jim challenges listeners not to grow numb to the miracle of God's presence, but to respond with awe, rejoicing, and renewed peace. Just as the shepherds were invited into joy and Mary treasured all these things in her heart, we are invited to behold the Savior, prepare room for Him, and let our hearts melt before the one who brings peace to those on whom His favor rests.

Weekly sermons and study guides.

Weekly sermons and study guides.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20251227dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”). When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus. Matthew 1:22-25 God With Us Hundreds of years before the birth of Jesus, God spoke through the prophet Isaiah that he would be born of a virgin. God inspired the apostle Matthew to write about the fulfillment of that prophecy. Joseph had no sexual relations with Mary until Jesus was born. Joseph was not Jesus' father; God was. Isaiah said that “they will call him Immanuel”—(which means, “God with us).” The baby born of the virgin Mary is God with us—God became a human being because we are unable to save ourselves. We are unable to keep his commandments. We are unable even to do the one thing he requires of us: “Be holy” (Leviticus 19:2). The baby born of the virgin Mary is God with us—God became human to be one of us. To feel like we do. To eat and drink like we do. To walk and talk like we do. To go through what we go through. He didn’t do this because he needed to, but because we needed him to; so that “God with us” would show us that a human could do what God demanded. And so that “God with us” could suffer and die, and in doing so, pay for our sins. Since he is human, he could die. Since he is God, his payment is for all of us, for all time. Joseph gave him the name “Jesus.” His name declares his great purpose for coming from heaven to be with us on earth. He is our Savior who came to take us from earth to heaven! Prayer: Jesus, you came down from heaven to be with us. Your life and death accomplished my salvation. I worship and honor you for your great love. Come again and take me to be with you in heaven. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

God With Us: An Advent Journey

Why does pain feel like "reality" and joy feel like a vacation?  It is December 26th. The wrapping paper is in the trash, and for many of us, that "magical" feeling—if it was there at all—is starting to fade into the gray reality of winter. When the Christmas lights come down and we discard the tree we often feel like we are "homeless" in a broken world again.  Join Matt and Brandon as they discuss how sorrow sometimes feels more real than joy. The boys think we have it backwards. They think the incarnation means that God has made this world his home, and that his presence is actually the most real thing of all! Join us for a workshop on trusting God, or for one of our 4 week intensives here: https://www.signpostinn.org/events Links/References That Thing Liv Wrote - Liv's Substack (https://livbooth.substack.com/) Take our audience survey! (https://myformflow.io/signpost-inn-ministries/survey) Matt's recommended song: God With Us by We Are Messengers.(https://open.spotify.com/track/4iaksnylPofkl5A1MpEsnS?si=g8ODsV1xRi27KmapweP6tg) The Mystery of Christ & Why We Don't Get It by Robert Farrar Capon (https://amzn.to/3NchwCi) Review the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-signpost-inn-podcast/id1583479686     Follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Check out our website for more resources! Thanks to Rex Daugherty for creating the original theme music for this podcast. He's an award-winning artist and you can check out more of his work at rex-daugherty.com

After all the longing for a rescuer, God snuck into the world, mostly unnoticed. Only a few were let in […]

This is the message from our Christmas Eve service on 12/24/2025 with Chet Lowe.

Where is your home? Where do you find comfort? What is the good news of great joy? In today's episode, Jensen shares how Isaiah 51:1-16 reminds us that God made his home with us in Jesus' birth. Read the Bible with us in 2026! This year, we're exploring the Gospels—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Download your reading plan now. Your support makes TMBT possible. Ten Minute Bible Talks is a crowd-funded project. Join the TMBTeam to reach more people with the Bible. Give now. Like this content? Make sure to leave us a rating and share it so that others can find it, too. Use #asktmbt to connect with us, ask questions, and suggest topics. We'd love to hear from you! To learn more, visit our website and follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter @TenMinuteBibleTalks. Don't forget to subscribe to the TMBT Newsletter here. Passages: Isaiah 51:1-16

The post God With Him, God With Us – Acts 10:38 – December 24, 2025 first appeared on Enduring Word.

Darkness often gets a bad rap. We tend to associate it with fear, danger, disorientation. For many of us, it is a space or experience that makes us feel vulnerable. And when darkness feels like a threat, we're convinced we need to steer clear. However, I'm learning that darkness is not necessarily synonymous with evil; that it's not all bad; that not all darkness needs to be feared or avoided; that as vulnerable as it might make us, darkness can and should be welcomed. As much as we might be prone to pit darkness and light against one another, I wonder if they actually go hand-in-hand. In the context of our life with God, I wonder if God is just as present and at work in the dark as God is present and at work in the light. I wonder if darkness can be holy ground, too. Perhaps that's part of the good news of Christmas—that God is with us, even in the dark. Dans Le Noir? Restaurant | London, England Learning to Walk in the Dark by Barbara Brown Taylor Sign up for my monthly email, The Re{collection} Interested in spiritual direction? Learn more here. Need a speaker for an event or gathering you're hosting in 2026? Connect with me here! www.withjulianne.com 

Join us beginning this January as we explore how to keep your faith simple in just 5 minutes a day. Not over complicated, simple faith is a great way to start each day. And don't forget to bring a friend!Emmanuel: God with Us in Every MomentOn this Christmas Eve, the traditional hustle slows, offering a moment of quiet reflection. Pastor Rusty takes us on an evocative journey through the scriptures, illustrating God's unwavering presence from Genesis to the birth of Christ in a humble manger. It highlights that God's promise to be 'with us' is alive, not just in historical events but right now, amidst our darkness, ordinariness, and uncertainties. This touching narrative reminds us that Emmanuel, 'God with us,' is a continual promise, even in our everyday struggles and triumphs. As we celebrate the light brought by hope, peace, joy, and love, we're reassured that we are never truly alone. Merry Christmas.00:00 A Quiet Christmas Eve00:26 The Promise of God's Presence01:08 God's Pursuit Through History03:04 The Birth of Jesus05:20 Jesus' Life and Empathy06:20 Emmanuel in Our Lives Today08:24 The Light of Christmas09:52 Final Reflections and Blessings

On Christmas Eve, Lori invites single and widowed moms into the heart of the Christmas story—the Lamb of God who came near. While Christmas Eve is often portrayed as peaceful and serene, many moms raising children with an absent dad experience a night filled with pain, tears, and last–minute responsibilities. Lori offers compassion, biblical truth, and practical encouragement for mothers navigating Christmas with both hope and heartache.Tracing the Lamb of God through Scripture, from Genesis to the Gospels, Lori shows how Jesus has always been God's plan of rescue and redemption. She reminds moms that Emmanuel, God with us, meets them in the loneliness and the sorrow, offering His presence, protection, and peace.In this episode, Lori shares:- Honest reflections from her own Christmas Eves as a widowed mom - How Jesus, the Lamb of God, appears throughout Scripture:-- Genesis 22 and God's provision of the ram-- Exodus 12 and the Passover lamb-- Isaiah 53 and the prophecy of the suffering servant- The beauty of Emmanuel—God with us—in sorrow, uncertainty, and in the absence of an earthly dad- Encouragement for single and widowed moms facing fresh grief during the holidaysKey Takeaways:1. Jesus has always been the Lamb of God.2. God comes near to the humble and hurting.3. Emmanuel means you are not alone.4. Your children can experience the hope of Christmas in simple, meaningful ways.Connect with Lori and Perspective MinistriesWebsite: perspectiveministries.orgEmail: lori@perspectiveministries.orgSubscribe to YouTube and your favorite podcast platform!Share this episode with a mom spending Christmas Eve in the quiet ache of what is missing.

“And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD.” (Genesis 4:1) Here is Eve’s testimony concerning the first child born to the h... More...

This season is not just about gifts or gatherings or decorating the house… It's about remembering that God stepped into our world to be near us — and we get to reflect that same closeness and love to the ones in our home. So today, I want to give you three simple, meaningful ways to live out “Emmanuel — God with us” inside your family this Christmas. Are you looking for ways to communicate with your girl so she can start opening up to you? Do you want to understand why is it so hard to approach your girl? Are you stuck on how to approach your teenage daughter in conversation without her freaking out?   SIGN UP FOR TALK TO YOUR TEEN GIRL FRAMEWORK!!  A 6-WEEK JOURNEY TO SHIFT HOW YOU COMMUNICATE SO SHE CAN COME TO YOU!   You'll walk away with a deeper understanding the changes happening to your girl, Equipped in your new role as COACH in this teen stage, and establish better communication pathways to connect and grow closer with your daughter   Imagine if you and your daughter can finally have conversations at a level where she doesn't need to hide anything from you! Plus, you'll get to meet other mamas who are all in the same boat.... SIGN UP HERE!      You can find me here: Work with me:  www.talktyourteengirl.com Connect: hello@jeanniebaldomero.com Instagram:   https://www.instagram.com/raisingherconfidently Free mom support community: www.raisingherconfidently.com  

Ho, Ho, Ho CEO- It's almost CHRISTMAS, the time of year when we celebrate Emmanuel, God WITH-Us…but I have a question…Are YOU living like that's true EVERY DAY of the year (aka all the time)?It's been really transforming to be in Revelation in my Bible reading plan during ADVENT…because Jesus came to earth as Emmanuel God WITH us, for the very purpose of inviting us into eternity in heaven WITH-Him. The problem is, over the course of history, despite being saved, not many truly live WITH-God in the here and now. So today, I wanna share what God has shown me about walking WITH Him and how you can do that too, EVERY day of the year, by putting FAITH at the center of YOUR Life + Biz. Turn on the Christmas tree lights, grab a hot mug of something festive, and let's sit together and bask in His desire to be WITH us at Christmas, throughout the year and into all of eternity. Grab your REDEEM Her Time Planner (+ access the INTENTIONAL Year Digital Course for free) redeemhertime.com/plannerYOU. HAVE. TIME. LissaP.S. Come join the conversation inside the REDEEM Her Time Community redeemhertime.com/communityP.P.S. Wanna supernaturally scale your results? Binge the Scaling Secrets of the Top 1% to discover the secret to productivity is not in your to-do list and how one simple shift can double your results. Walk away with more margin, less to-do's and exponential growth! (P.S. I'll share the secret to 10,000% productivity increase…no that's not a typo!)P.P.S. Better yet, come join me inside CEO Focus to scale up your results (aka reach + revenue) in just 12 weeks! Let's get you more leads, sign more clients, create more cashflow...and SCALE this business God put on your heart!P.S. Come join the conversation inside the REDEEM Her Time Community redeemhertime.com/communityP.P.S. Wanna supernaturally scale your results? Binge the Scaling Secrets of the Top 1% to discover the secret to productivity is not in your to-do list and how one simple shift can double your results. Walk away with more margin, less to-do's and exponential growth! (P.S. I'll share the secret to 10,000% productivity increase…no that's not a typo!)P.P.S. Better yet, come join me inside CEO Focus to scale up your results (aka reach + revenue) in just 12 weeks! Let's get you more leads, sign more clients, create more cashflow...and SCALE this business God put on your heart!

Have you ever wondered if God is close to you, right now, right where you are?! In this Christmas Eve 2018 message, Judah Smith explores how God's presence shows up in the low places, the unexpected places and even in the most ordinary moments of our lives. This message invites you to see that God is never far from you...He is with you. SUBSCRIBE TODAY for Weekly Service messages, Daily Guided Prayers, & more! Download the FREE Churchome app in the Apple App store or Google Play store! https://www.churchome.org/app

This message from Pastor Micah explores Christmas as the central story of Scripture and God's enduring desire to be with His people. Beginning in Genesis, it traces how God walked with humanity, how sin broke that relationship, and how God immediately moved to restore what was lost. The message points to the promise in the garden, the need for a perfect Mediator greater than Moses, and the fulfillment of that promise in Christ. Christmas is revealed not as an isolated event, but as the moment God steps into history to restore access and dwell with us once again.SCRIPTURE REFERENCESGenesis 3:8, Genesis 3:14 to 15, Genesis 3:8 to 13, Genesis 12:3, Genesis 22:18, Genesis 26:24, Genesis 28:15, Exodus 3:12, Exodus 25:8, Deuteronomy 18:15, Zechariah 2:10 to 11, Revelation 3:20Make sure you subscribe to this channel and follow us on all our platforms to always stay up to date with our latest content!And you can always head over to our website for any general information!https://godspeak.comPrayer/NeedsIf you have any needs, or have a willingness to be used to meet various need in the body, please email info@godspeak.com. Also, let us know if you need prayer for anything.Giving is part of our worship time, and in this season, the easiest way to do that is online. If you go to our website, godspeak.com, you will see the "Give" tab in the top right corner. Or you can simply click this link https://pushpay.com/g/godspeakAny questions?Please feel free to email us, comment here, or DM us on Instagram any questions that you may have.Please Subscribe to this channel and turn on your notifications to be notified when our Livestreams start so you don't miss out! We hope you are blessed by the service!-The Godspeak Team

On today's Bible Answer Man broadcast, Hank shares his thoughts on the coming of Christ in flesh. The reason we rejoice at Christmas is because the baby born to Mary and Joseph was no ordinary child. This baby was the ultimate fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy of Immanuel: “God with us.” Although John's Gospel does not include a narrative of Jesus' birth, the doctrine of the Incarnation is beautifully summed up in his introduction: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God… And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” The clear testimony of Scripture is that, in the Incarnation, Christ was one person with two natures; fully God and fully man. As Theanthropos, the God-Man, Jesus lived a perfectly sinless life and died a sinner's death to atone, once for all, for the sins of humanity.Hank also answers the following questions:What happens to our soul when we die? What about the spirit? Frank - El Paso, TX (5:28)Can you explain what it means when Jesus says the days will be shortened in Matthew 24:22? Kyle - St. Louis, MO (7:29)Does Isaiah 9:6 teach modalism? Is Jesus the Father as well as the Son? Vick - MO (15:59)How should we respond to people who mock us for believing in God? Dan - Bentonville, AR (19:18)Since Jesus knew what would happen before it happened, how do we reconcile this with Him saying, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Tiffany - Windsor, IL (23:10)

“As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. ‘Joseph, son of David,’ the angel said, ‘do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.’” (Matthew 1:20–21 NLT) When an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream in Matthew 1, he brought astonishing news. Mary had not been unfaithful, as Joseph had suspected. Instead, she was the virgin spoken of by the prophet Isaiah 750 years earlier. Joseph certainly would have been familiar with Isaiah’s prophecy. “All right then, the Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’)” (Isaiah 7:14 NLT). The idea that Isaiah’s well-known prophecy would be fulfilled by Mary surely would have met with some skepticism by Joseph if it hadn’t been for the awe-inspiring angelic being delivering the news. The child Mary was carrying was Immanuel: God with us. What a staggering thought that must have been for Joseph. And what a staggering thought it is for us. In fact, it is the essence of Christianity. If you compared the Christian faith to all other religious worldviews, this would be the clear distinction: Christianity is “God with us.” Christianity does not require that we try to somehow earn God’s approval. The Christian faith teaches that it is God with us, living inside of us, helping us to be the men and women He has called us to be. Christianity says that we are never alone. Jesus echoed this thought when He said, “Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20 NLT). And in Hebrews 13:5, God said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you” (NLT). We may not always sense God’s presence, but that’s because of the work of our spiritual enemy. When life’s horizons turn dark and circumstances threaten to overwhelm us, the devil whispers in our ear that God has abandoned us. When we give in to temptation, the devil berates us and tries to convince us that God would never stand beside such a flawed person. But we need to see through the strategies of our enemy. We need to cling to the rock-solid promises of our heavenly Father. Maybe you need to be reminded of God’s presence in your life right now. Maybe you’re feeling alone. God is with you. Maybe someone close to you has let you down or disappointed you. God is with you. The great message of Christmas that we must always remember is this: “Immanuel: God with us.” Reflection question: How do you recognize God’s presence in your life? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship! — The audio production of the podcast "Greg Laurie: Daily Devotions" utilizes Generative AI technology. This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known." All devotional content is written and owned by Pastor Greg Laurie. Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

WORD: SAVIOR This week we are studying,The Matchless Gift of God's Divine Son, in Come, Follow Me. You will find the word of the week, teaching tips, and more in our newsletter. Here's what to look forward to in this episode: HIS FIRST SERMONS INTO THE MESS THE BABY WHICH NAME We love studying with you! Grace and David You will find the word of the week, teaching tips, and more in our newsletter. Sign up here: www.dontmissthisstudy.com Videos can be found on YouTube: Don't Miss This Grace Freeman Instagram: @thisweeksgrace David Butler Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mrdavebutler/ Instagram: @mrdavebutler Come, Follow Me is a resource offered by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is designed to be used in the home to support personal and family scripture study to build faith in Heavenly Father and His plan of salvation and in the Savior Jesus Christ and His Atonement. Come, Follow Me is self-contained and adequate, when used properly. Products and materials designed to supplement this resource, though they may be helpful in some instances, are not necessary for a successful home study program.

There are moments in life when the world around us seems bright and festive, yet our own hearts feel dimly lit. That contrast can sting—especially during the holiday season, when expectations of joy are high and reality often feels far from picture-perfect. Rachel Wojo, host of Untangling Prayer, shares a powerful story of encountering Emmanuel in one of the loneliest places imaginable: a hospital waiting room at 3 AM. Instead of twinkling lights, she faced fluorescent glare. Instead of joyful noise, she faced the anxious hum of machines and rushed footsteps. And yet—it was there she felt the weight of Jesus’ name in a new way. God with us didn’t begin—and doesn’t end—in a Bethlehem stable. Emmanuel is God with us in the places we never wanted to be. God with us when fear tightens our chest. God with us when plans unravel. God with us when holiday expectations crash into painful realities. The incarnation isn’t just a Christmas story; it is the eternal declaration that God stepped into our humanity so we would never face anything alone. In every waiting room, every heartbreak, every sleepless night, every holiday that feels heavy—He is still Emmanuel. God with us. God with you. Right now. Bible Reading:“The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”). — Matthew 1:23 Main Takeaways Emmanuel means God with us in every circumstance—not just the joyful ones. Jesus came to enter real human pain, fear, and loneliness. God’s presence fills the moments that feel the most empty. The name “Emmanuel” is God’s unbreakable promise: You are not alone. We can praise God for being present even when our circumstances remain difficult. Today’s Prayer Heavenly Father, Thank You for Emmanuel, for choosing to come close instead of loving us from a distance. Thank You that when You saw our sorrow, You didn’t just send comfort—you came Yourself. I praise You for being God with us in every moment: the joyful, the ordinary, and the deeply painful. Thank You that Your presence does not depend on my circumstances. You are Emmanuel in the waiting rooms, in the fear, in the grief, and in the seasons that don’t look anything like I hoped. When loneliness whispers that I am alone, remind me that Your very name declares otherwise. Thank You that I never face a single moment without You. Be Emmanuel to my heart today—God with me, right here, right now. In Jesus’ name,Amen. Reflection Scriptures: Isaiah 7:14 John 1:14 Psalm 139:7–10 Hebrews 13:5 Want More? Subscribe to Your Daily Prayer wherever you get your podcasts Listen to Rachel's podcast: Untangling Prayer Share this devotion with a friend who is hurting this holiday season Explore related content on Crosswalk.com & Christianity.com: “What Does Emmanuel Really Mean?” “Finding God’s Presence in Suffering” “5 Places God Meets You in Seasons of Loneliness" Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.