Gift of Heaven: A Christmas Devotional SeriesSample

DAY 1: God is with Us

From the very beginning, God has been with us. Scripture tells us He is both eternal and ever-present—Omnipresent. Paul, preaching in Athens, reminded his listeners that God is not distant: “He is actually not far from each one of us.” In fact, “in Him we live and move and have our being.”

But while God's presence is constant, there is something profoundly unique and personal about the Incarnation—when the invisible, spiritual God put on flesh and walked among us in the person of Jesus. He didn’t just associate with humanity; He became one of us. Not with a sinful nature like Adam and Eve, who were created innocent but fell—but with a perfect, sinless nature.

In Jesus, God did not just send a message; He came Himself. And in doing so, He bridged the gap between heaven and earth, between the transcendent and the tangible.

Christmas, then, is more than a season—it is a declaration that God is not only for us, but truly with us. Emmanuel. And through Christ, we experience a God who hears, sees, feels, and redeems.

As we begin this devotional journey, we invite you to explore what it means that God is with us; in the promise, the waiting, the weakness, the worship, and the wonder.

Reflection Questions

1. What does it mean to you personally that God is not far from you, but present in every moment?
2. How does the Incarnation, the idea of God putting on flesh, shape your view of Jesus?
3. In what area of your life are you needing to be reminded that God is truly with you?