Still Waters Run Deep

Devotional

Day 1: Obedience that trusts God and moves in action

Quiet strength often looks like costly, unseen obedience. Joseph faced misunderstanding, gossip, and the loss of reputation, yet he trusted God and acted anyway. Real obedience is not passive; it takes shape in concrete steps that align with God’s word. In this season, let your calendars, conversations, and choices quietly preach what your lips confess. God uses simple, faithful actions to carry His saving purposes forward. Take the next faithful step today, even if no one applauds [10:33].

Matthew 1:20–25 — In a dream, an angel told Joseph not to be afraid to take Mary as his wife, because the child in her was from the Holy Spirit, and he was to name the child Jesus, since He would rescue His people from their sins. Joseph woke up and did exactly what he was told: he took Mary as his wife and later named the child Jesus.

Reflection: What is one specific step of obedience—especially one that might cost you approval—that you will take this week in response to God’s leading?

Day 2: Pondering God’s work with a quiet heart

Mary teaches a different pace—she treasured the moment and turned it over in her heart until worship and understanding grew. While others celebrated loudly, she chose stillness, storing up the details of God’s faithfulness for later strength. You can do the same by making space to be present, to remember, and to notice the holy in the ordinary. Reflection is not inactivity; it is the deep work that roots our souls in truth. Create room to listen so that your worship matures beyond sentiment to substance [19:45].

Luke 2:19 — While others marveled at the shepherds’ story, Mary gathered each moment and held it close, weighing it carefully within, so she would not forget what God had done.

Reflection: When and where will you set aside 15 quiet minutes this week to name one thing God has taught you and thank Him for it?

Day 3: Waiting in hope and holy anticipation

Simeon shows that the length of the wait is not the point; what matters is the heart that trusts through the waiting. He anchored his hope in God’s promise, stayed attentive to the Spirit, and recognized Jesus when the moment finally came. Waiting reshapes desire, loosens envy, and builds a durable joy that a rushed life cannot produce. God’s timing is not late; it is forming depth in you. Hope looks forward without grasping, confident that the Promise-Keeper will not fail [32:26].

Luke 2:25–32 — A devout man named Simeon had been assured by the Holy Spirit that he would see the Messiah before he died. Led into the temple, he took the child Jesus in his arms and thanked God, saying he could depart in peace because his eyes had seen God’s salvation—light for the nations and honor for Israel.

Reflection: In the one place you feel most impatient right now, what small, repeatable practice could help you wait with hope (for example, a daily breath prayer or a weekly fast)?

Day 4: Serving faithfully while you wait on God

Anna waited too, but her waiting was not idle—she worshiped with fasting and prayer, day and night. Though she had no guarantee like Simeon, her steady devotion made her spiritually attentive, and she recognized Jesus when He arrived. Hidden service and intercession are not wasted; they tune the heart to God’s movements. Keep praying, keep showing up, and keep blessing others while you wait. In time you will say, with wonder, that the waiting was worth it [37:38].

Luke 2:36–38 — Anna, an elderly widow, spent her days in the temple serving God through prayer and fasting. When she encountered the child Jesus, she immediately gave thanks and spoke about Him to all who were longing for God to set His people free.

Reflection: What quiet act of service or prayer will you embrace this week so that your waiting becomes worship rather than worry?

Day 5: Still waters run deep: a Christmas rhythm

There is a holy balance to this season—celebration and song, paired with stillness and surrender. Depth grows as you obey in small ways, reflect with intention, and wait with hope. Create a simple rhythm: turn down the noise, gather a few loved ones, share the year’s lessons, and make space to notice “God with us.” Choose practices that cultivate calm courage rather than constant hurry. In the quiet, Christ forms resilient, joyful hearts that can weather any storm [46:28].

Matthew 1:22–23 — All this unfolded to accomplish what God had promised through the prophet: by a miraculous birth, a Son would come, and He would be called Immanuel—God present with us.

Reflection: What single daily rhythm (such as a brief examen at night or device-free morning Scripture reading) will you adopt this week to grow quiet depth in Christ?

Sermon Summary

“Still waters run deep.” That old proverb frames what we see in Joseph, Mary, Simeon, and Anna—people who spoke little but revealed a deep, steady life with God. In a world that rewards volume and visibility, I invited us to notice the quiet ones Scripture highlights around Jesus’ birth. Joseph’s costly obedience shows that faith is more than agreeing with God; it is staking your reputation and future on His word. He absorbed misunderstanding to protect Mary, obeyed God’s command to name the child “Jesus,” and even chose restraint to guard the witness of the virgin birth. Quiet choices. Deep character.

Mary teaches a different kind of strength. While shepherds ran with joyful noise, she “kept” and “pondered.” She preserved holy memory, built a core of reflection she would need later—at the cross, at the tomb, and beyond. Her contemplation wasn’t passivity; it was worshipful presence. Reflection matures our understanding and deepens our praise in ways busyness never can.

Then Simeon and Anna—two saints of the long wait. Simeon held a promise and waited with hope; Anna waited with service, fasting and praying until her discernment was sharp enough to recognize the Messiah without an announcement. They teach us that the length of waiting matters far less than who we become while we wait. Waiting in hope forms us, humbles us, and trains us to desire God’s timing over our own.

So what does “deep water” look like this season? It looks like obedience that costs something. It looks like carving out room to treasure and ponder before God. It looks like a hopeful, serving patience that resists impulsive, shallow living. Celebration absolutely has its place—songs, gatherings, laughter. But there is another side: quiet, prayerful, reflective, resilient. That’s where roots grow. My prayer is that our lives would carry that hidden weight—the spiritual density that comes from trusting God enough to obey, slowing down enough to reflect, and waiting long enough to be changed.

Key Takeaways

1. Obey in trust and action Deep faith is not proven by agreement but by movement. Joseph risked misunderstanding to obey God, showing that obedience may cost our reputation yet serve a larger redemptive purpose. When obedience is concrete—naming, restraining, staying—it forms Christlike endurance in us. Let your decisions preach what your lips cannot. [14:13]
2. Reflect for understanding and worship Mary teaches us to preserve holy memory, to sit with God long enough for events to ripen into insight. Reflection is not delay; it is devotion that turns information into transformation. If we don’t ponder, we repeat; if we do, we deepen. Set time to treasure what God has done so your worship gains weight. [25:24]
3. Wait in hope and anticipation Simeon waited with promise; Anna waited with prayer. Waiting isn’t wasted when it sharpens discernment and steadies the soul; it becomes the forge where desire is refined and trust is proved. Don’t measure the wait—measure who you are becoming within it, and keep serving while you wait. [37:38]
4. Quiet depth over loud visibility God often builds the most resilient lives in hidden places—behind reputations surrendered, in rooms where no one is watching, in prayers that few hear. Resist the pressure to be seen; pursue the call to be formed. Hidden faithfulness will outlast public noise and bear fruit in due season. [02:15]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
- Matthew 1:18-25
- Luke 2:17-19
- Luke 2:25-38

Observation questions
- In Matthew 1:18-25, what three concrete actions did Joseph take after the dream, and how would each action have affected his reputation in the community?
- In Luke 2:17-19, how do the shepherds respond to Jesus’ birth compared to Mary? What two verbs describe Mary’s response, and what do they imply?
- In Luke 2:25-38, how are Simeon and Anna described? What did the Holy Spirit reveal to Simeon, and what did Anna do while she waited?
- According to the message, what three explanations would people have found most believable for Mary’s pregnancy, and which one would the town most likely assume? Why does that matter for Joseph’s obedience? [08:47]

Interpretation questions
- What does Joseph’s choice reveal about faith as action, not just agreement? Where does trusting God often intersect with risking one’s reputation? [14:13]
- How is Mary’s “keeping and pondering” an act of worship rather than passivity? What does this suggest about the role of reflection in maturing faith and deepening praise? [25:24]
- In what ways did Simeon’s promise-shaped waiting and Anna’s service-shaped waiting sharpen their discernment? How might long waiting form a person’s loves and priorities? [37:38]
- Why does quiet depth often outlast loud visibility? Where might the pressure to be seen keep someone from being formed? [02:15]

Application questions
- Obedience that costs: Where is one area right now where obeying God will likely cost you (reputation, time, money, comfort)? What specific action will you take this week to obey anyway? [14:13]
- Let decisions preach: Joseph “called his name Jesus” and chose restraint—quiet choices that proclaimed faith. What is one small, quiet decision you can make this week that would speak loudly about your trust in Christ (naming Jesus in a conversation, choosing restraint, staying faithful to a hard commitment)? [11:42]
- Schedule a “Mary moment”: When in the next seven days will you carve out 30–60 minutes to sit quietly, remember, and ponder with God? What will you reflect on (e.g., “Where have I seen God’s mercy this year? What is He teaching me?”)? Who might you share one insight with for encouragement? [26:07]
- Waiting with service: Identify one area of life where you’re waiting (health, work, relationship, guidance). What is one practical way to “wait like Anna”—to serve or pray in a focused way during this season? Set a simple, steady rhythm you can keep. [37:38]
- Cultivate quiet depth at home: Try one simple practice this week to slow down—dim lights, soft worship music, warm drink, 20 minutes of silence or gentle conversation. How might this help you treasure and ponder rather than rush? Who in your household could join you? [44:40]
- Resist the loud life: Where do you feel pressure to be visible (social media, workplace, even church)? What would a small experiment in hidden faithfulness look like—perhaps a digital fast, an anonymous act of service, or praying for others without telling them? [02:15]
- Measure the wait differently: In your current waiting, what kind of person do you want to become? Name one character trait (e.g., patience, humility, resilience) and one habit that could help you grow in it over the next month. How can this group pray for you in it? [32:26]

Sermon Clips

But the name was appropriate because Jesus or Joshua means he will save his people from their sins. So the name Jesus means the Lord saves or the Lord is salvation, a very appropriate name for the Messiah. Again, it didn't matter to Joseph that in his obedience, his son would not carry his name. But what was more important was that through his obedience, his earthly son would save people from their sins which served a far greater purpose. My friends, obedience always has a consequence. [00:12:24] (41 seconds) #ObedienceHasConsequences

``When you tell each other and when you tell your friends and family members, remember the reason for the season, what are you tangibly doing to live out this truth? We all know we need to remember the reason for the season, but do you spend more time in God's Word during this holiday season? Do you spend more time in self-reflection? Do you take time to examine your lives to see if there are areas in your life where you've sinned and ask God for forgiveness and then resolve to change your actions to be more Christ-like? [00:15:13] (40 seconds) #RememberTheReason

Or to the bride, I tell her, don't be thinking about this or that or worrying if it's going to rain or not. Just focus that when you walk down the aisle, you're going to see your dashing husband-to-be, your groom, standing there ready to be with you for the rest of your life. And when you capture and ponder the heart emotion of that moment and you remember how you feel, that at that moment there isn't any guy or gal you would want to spend the rest of your life with, remember that feeling. [00:21:22] (38 seconds) #WalkToYourLove

because five or ten years into your marriage relationship, you will get so angry with your spouse and you will wonder if you love them or not. And that moment you go back to that core memory, to the day you got married and the giddy nervousness and the immense love that you felt at that very moment when you said your I do's and you are again reminded that you do love him and that you made a commitment. [00:22:00] (35 seconds) #RememberYourVows

Her reflection of understanding and worship is what we can emulate because in that moment I believe it kept Mary strong to see how the people treated her son. to reject him when all he had was their best intent. The scriptures do not record much of what Mary said or did after she gave birth but her actions speak volumes for how she was so spiritually strong. Mary can certainly be one who is described as still waters run deep. [00:25:08] (42 seconds) #StillWatersRunDeep

Mary could have joined in all the festivities of that moment but she intentionally used that moment to be present and to just be quiet and to soak it all in without saying a word or doing anything and this is an example to us we must intentionally set aside time in the chaotic schedule of this holiday season to stop to reflect and to worship [00:26:43] (27 seconds) #BePresentThisSeason

but what I want to focus on is on Simeon's waiting he heard a promise from God and he waited with hope and anticipation trusting that God's word was true and it was trustworthy and that what he promised God promised will come to fruition and so he never gave up hope and he looked forward to seeing the Savior before he died now I don't know how many years it must have been for him but the point is one must wait patiently regardless of the length [00:33:38] (40 seconds) #HopefulInTheWait

you see it's not about the length of waiting which is often what we get hung up on I've been waiting 30 days pastor I've been waiting two years I've been waiting three years I've been waiting five years it's the waiting that is important because in the wait you learn about trusting God in the wait you learn about where your faith in God is and even when you have been wanting something so bad and everyone around you is getting what you wanted you still wait [00:34:18] (38 seconds) #FaithfulInTheWait

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