Between the joy of Christmas and the hopes of a new year, it’s easy to miss the quiet gift right in front of you: God’s promised presence here and now. Tasks, plans, and what-ifs can crowd your mind, but Jesus is Emmanuel—God with us—right where you are. You don’t have to feel it to trust it; His nearness is anchored in what He has already done. Take a deep breath and acknowledge Him, not as an item on a checklist, but as the One who is already in your midst. Let this moment become holy ground as you lift your eyes and remember you are not alone. He is with you in the meantime. [02:34]
Matthew 1:23 — A virgin will bear a son, and he will be called Immanuel, which means that God Himself is present with us.
Reflection: Where, in today’s ordinary rhythm, will you pause for one minute to acknowledge Jesus’ nearness and simply say, “You are here”?
Anna’s story reminds us that a life may not unfold as expected and still be full of God’s presence. Decades of worship, fasting, and prayer became her home address; her losses did not hollow her out, but made room for deeper hope. When she finally encountered Jesus, years of longing met the answer of Heaven in one present moment. She did not rush past Him; she recognized Him. Your waiting can be more than empty time—it can become a sanctuary where hope matures and you learn to notice Jesus when He arrives. Faithfulness in the long middle tills the soil for joy. [05:38]
Luke 2:36–38 — Anna, an elderly widow, spent her days and nights in the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer. At the very hour she encountered the child Jesus, she began to thank God and spoke about Him to all who were longing for Jerusalem’s rescue.
Reflection: What simple practice—like a daily prayer walk, a mealtime fast, or an evening psalm—could become your “home address” in God’s presence this week?
When Anna recognized Jesus, gratitude rose first, and then testimony followed. Thanksgiving clears the fog of the past and the pressure of the future, helping you see the King who stands before you. As you give thanks for God’s faithfulness, your heart is freed to invite others who are also waiting for redemption. Gratitude does not ignore grief; it confesses that Christ is greater than every lesser savior we’ve been tempted to chase. Let thanks reset your vision and open your mouth in gentle, hopeful witness. Lift your eyes and your voice today. [08:36]
Luke 2:38 — In that very moment, she thanked God and began telling everyone who was waiting for deliverance that the Redeemer had come.
Reflection: Who in your life is quietly “waiting for redemption,” and how could you share one specific thanks to God with them this week as a gentle invitation to hope?
Jesus does not only save; He abides. He stands at the door, knocking—not to visit occasionally, but to dwell and renovate what is unfinished within you. Drawing near happens in the present, not someday; it looks like honest prayer, surrendered pace, and welcoming the Spirit into the rooms you’d rather keep closed. This isn’t about chasing a feeling, but trusting the One who is already near. Say yes to His gentle work, even in the meantime—especially in the meantime. Let Him remake your inner life into a place of communion. [10:00]
Revelation 3:20 — I’m at your door, knocking. If anyone hears and opens up, I will come in and share life at the table with them.
Reflection: What “room” of your heart feels under renovation right now, and what small prayer of welcome could you offer to let Jesus work there today?
God meets you in the present and leads you into a future more abundant than you can plan. He is able to do beyond what you could ask or picture, not by distant power but by His Spirit at work within you now. Release the hurried grip on outcomes and let expectancy be shaped by His presence, not your predictions. Offer Him the unfinished places and trust that even there, He is already moving. Walk into the week commissioned by His goodness, confident that the King has come and is with you. Hope grows where His presence is welcomed. [03:21]
Ephesians 3:20–21 — God can do immeasurably more than all we request or imagine, working through His power within us. To Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus through every generation, forever.
Reflection: Where have you settled for a smaller hope, and what one concrete step could you take this week to make room for God’s surprising work in that area?
Standing in an unfinished worship space between Christmas and the New Year, the focus turns from deadlines and dreams to the promised presence of God in the here and now. Drawing from Luke 2, attention rests on Anna, the prophetess who, widowed young and now 84, had made the temple her home through decades of prayer, fasting, and worship. Her life likely did not unfold as she expected, yet she anchored herself in God’s presence until, in one ordinary hour, she encountered the extraordinary—the infant Messiah. In that moment, her longings for the past and hopes for the future were gathered into gratitude in the present. She gave thanks, and she spoke to all who were waiting for redemption, recognizing kindred hearts and inviting them to share the hope she had received.
This invitation extends now: lift your eyes and your voice. Jesus is Emmanuel—God with us—not merely in special moments but in the “meantime,” the ordinary stretch between celebrations and resolutions. The present is where time touches eternity; it is here that those who draw near to God find Him near. Revelation pictures Christ at the door, knocking; the question is whether the heart will open—again and again—for abiding, ongoing transformation, not just a one-time decision.
The call is simple and profound: pause and acknowledge His nearness out loud, even if emotions lag behind. True faith rests on what is true, not on what is felt in the moment. For those in Christ, His presence is already within; for those who are not, the door stands open and the Savior stands ready. Pray as you are, where you are, in unfinished places—because God delights to meet His people there. Like Anna, receive Jesus with thanksgiving and share Him with those who are waiting. And trust that the One who has come is able to do immeasurably more than we ask or imagine, even now.
Alright, so I'm here standing in the middle of what is to be our worship center here on Dean Drive and as you can see there's still a lot to be done there's a lot to renovate and a lot to build God has done incredible things this year and yet there's still a lot to do and so here just past Christmas and before the new year it's easy to get caught up in what has been or what's coming and miss what's right in front of us right in the here and now
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