Friday, January 12, 2024

Christmas is officially over, and it has been for a while. But if you are anything like me, you still enjoy spotting the occasional Christmas lights and humming a few verses of your favorite carols. We may be twelve days into January, but there are parts of the holiday season that I wish lasted all year round.

So, for just a moment, I’d like to bring us back to that wonderful Christmas message:

Matthew 1:23
“Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’”

Immanuel—God is with us. Jesus came in our flimsy human form to live among us. Not only that, but the Holy Spirit now lives within those of us who have accepted Christ.

The idea of Immanuel isn’t one that is limited to Christmas. When the decorations are packed up and the Christmas lights are taken down, Immanuel stays with us. God is always near, regardless of what we are going through or where we are in life. As we step into 2024, God is still abundantly present.

This is the time of year where we set high goals. We want to achieve this, and change that.… But already, less than two weeks into 2024, some of our expectations are crumbling and falling down around us. We feel like failures, unable to become the sort of person we aspire to.

Yet, maybe this is also the time of year for us to remember we can’t change on our own. In the middle of our failure and disappointment, we realize that we need God’s help.

God wants to come alongside us. He isn’t afraid to get his hands messy in the chaotic and difficult work of spiritual transformation. God wants to help make us new—so that we’re ready to see the amazing things he has in store for us this year.

Ephesians 2:10
For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

Christmas may be over, and this new year might not go the way we hope, but Immanuel isn’t going anywhere. He is right here—right now—with us.

Questions:
What goals have you set for this year? In what ways do you want to change and grow? How can you spend time with God this week, inviting him to work inside of you?

Next Steps:
Write out a list of all the things you want God to help you with this year. Pray for his help in those areas, and pick a time of day to spend with him, working on those things.

21 Days of Prayer Day 5—Heart

Today’s Prayer Focus: To Search my Heart  (Psalm 139:23-24)

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, as I come to know and trust you more, help me to reflect your love through my thoughts and actions. Search my heart. Find anything in me that is offensive to you and help me remove it from my life. Lead me to live a life that draws people to you. Help me live my life on Earth in a way that impacts eternity. In Jesus' name, amen.

Series Theme Verse:

2 Peter 1:3
By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence.

This post was written by Lydia Snyder, a regular contributor to the LivingItOut Devotional.