God With Us In The Meantime

Devotional

Day 1: Leaning into God’s Presence in the Meantime

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”?

Day 2: Anna’s Quiet Faithfulness in Long Waiting

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?

Day 3: Gratitude that Lifts Eyes and Voice

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?

Day 4: Open the Door: Ongoing Abiding Relationship

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?

Day 5: God With Us, More Than Imagined

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?

Sermon Summary

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.

Key Takeaways

1. Recognize God in the present. The rush of past regrets and future pressure often keeps the soul from recognizing the presence of Christ right now. Emmanuel means God with us in ordinary hours, not only on mountaintops or in crises. Gratitude in the present becomes the doorway to communion, clarity, and courage. Lift your voice where you are, and meet the King who has already drawn near. [05:38]
2. Long obedience reshapes our hopes. Anna’s decades of prayerful faithfulness did not erase grief, but it refined her expectations and focused her desires on a Person rather than outcomes. Her “address” became God’s presence, and so she recognized Jesus the moment He appeared. Long obedience doesn’t guarantee a particular storyline; it cultivates a heart that can receive whatever God gives with joy. [02:34]
3. Pause, pray, and open the door. Sometimes the most powerful spiritual act is the simplest: speak out loud, “God, thank You for being with me.” Faith often precedes feeling, and honest, present-tense prayer invites the Spirit to renew awareness and affection. Opening the door of the heart is not a one-time act but a rhythm of abiding that welcomes continual renovation. [08:36]
4. Commissioned to live beyond imagination. The God who meets us in unfinished places also sends us with His power at work within us. Hope is not wishful thinking; it is expectancy anchored in a living Savior who exceeds our categories. Receiving His presence naturally becomes sharing His life with others who are still waiting. Go with God, and live into what only He can do. [10:00]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:20] - Standing in an unfinished worship space
[01:05] - Missing the present amid past and future
[02:34] - Anna introduced: a life of faithfulness
[03:15] - The temple as her home address
[04:10] - Recognition of Jesus and overflowing gratitude
[05:38] - Invitation: lift your eyes and voice now
[06:30] - The present as where time touches eternity
[07:20] - Draw near: abiding, not just a moment
[08:36] - Practice: pause and pray out loud
[09:20] - Corporate prayer and invitation to faith
[10:00] - Benediction and commissioning

Bible Study Guide

Bible reading

- Luke 2:36-38

There was also a prophet, Anna, the daughter of Penuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.

Observation questions

In Luke 2:36-38, what details are given about Anna’s life story and her daily rhythm in the temple?
According to verse 38, what happens “at that very hour,” and what two things does Anna immediately do?
What simple practice were we invited to do wherever we are, even if we don’t feel anything: say it in your own words ([08:36])?
What contrast was drawn between being caught up in past/future and recognizing God’s presence “in the meantime” ([05:38])?

Interpretation questions

Looking at Luke 2:36-38, how might decades of worship, fasting, and prayer shape a heart that can recognize Jesus when He arrives in an ordinary moment?
Verse 38 shows Anna giving thanks first. Why is gratitude a fitting first response to encountering Jesus, especially in everyday settings ([05:38])?
“Faith isn’t about a feeling; it rests on what is true.” How should that shape someone’s approach to prayer when emotions are flat or heavy ([08:36])?
Luke 2:38 says Anna spoke “to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.” What might “waiting for redemption” look like in people around us today?

Application questions

This week, where are you most tempted to live in the past or get pulled into the future? What would it look like to pause in that exact spot and say out loud, “God, thank You for being with me,” even if feelings haven’t caught up ([08:36])?
Anna made God’s presence her address through steady practices. Which simple practices (time in Scripture, a set prayer time, fasting, gathered worship) could you adopt or renew so that your “address” is found in God’s presence? Be specific (Luke 2:36-38).
What is one “room” in your heart (a habit, fear, disappointment, or plan) where you need to open the door again to Jesus for ongoing renovation, not just a one-time fix ([05:38])?
Who in your life seems to be “waiting for redemption” (someone weary, searching, or stuck)? What is one gentle way you could speak of Jesus to them this week, like Anna did (Luke 2:38)?
Practice gratitude together: name three present-tense thanks to God right now. What changed in your awareness of His nearness as you spoke them out loud ([05:38])?
Where is your life “unfinished” right now (a relationship, a project, a spiritual habit)? What would it look like to meet God right there and trust Him to do “more than we ask or imagine” as you go forward ([10:00])?

Sermon Clips

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 [00:00:01] (25 seconds) #BuildAndBePresent