Christmas: God With Us

Emmanuel—The Gift of God’s Presence in Every Season

Christmas memories fill your heart, do they not? The excitement in children’s eyes. The house is full of laughter. The familiar traditions. But for now, for some if not all, Christmas feels quieter, simpler, sometimes lonelier. Yet the heart of Christmas—Emmanuel, God with us—means more now than ever.

The miracle of Christmas is not just that God came. It is that He stayed. And He is still here.

Scripture:

“The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God with us’).” – Matthew 1:23 (NIV)

Additional Verses:

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” – Isaiah 9:6 (NIV)
“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” – John 1:14 (NIV)
“And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” – Matthew 28:20 (NIV)

Scripture Reflection

On Matthew 1:23 – Emmanuel: God with us. Not “God near us” or “God thinking about us.” With us. In the midst of us. Among us. When Jesus was born in Bethlehem, heaven touched earth. God did not send a message or send an angel. He came Himself. He put on skin and entered into our human experience—our joys, our sorrows, our limitations, our weaknesses. And He did it because He wanted to be WITH us. That is the heart of Christmas: a God who refuses to stay distant.

On Isaiah 9:6 – Look at these names: Wonderful Counselor (He understands and guides), Mighty God (He has power to help), Everlasting Father (His care never ends), Prince of Peace (He brings rest to troubled hearts). This baby in the manger is all of these things. He is not just a sweet story or a nice tradition. He is the powerful, eternal God who comes to us in our need. Every name speaks to something we desperately need, especially in later seasons of life.

On John 1:14 – “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” God did not just visit. He moved in. He set up home in our neighborhood. Jesus did not come as a distant king who ruled from far away. He came as a neighbor, a friend, someone who understood hunger and tiredness, joy and grief. He knows what it is like to be human because He lived it. And He is still with us, still understanding, still present.

On Matthew 28:20 – These were Jesus’ last words before going to heaven: “I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Always. Not sometimes. Not when you are faithful enough or strong enough. Always. To the very end—including the end of your life, the end of your strength, the end of your abilities. Christmas started with “God with us,” and Jesus promised it would never stop. He is still Emmanuel. Still with you. Still here.

Stories

Dorothy’s First Christmas Alone: 67 Years of Tradition

Dorothy, 86, faced her first Christmas without Walter after 67 years of marriage. “We had our routines,” she said softly. “Walter always put the star on top of the tree. We’d read Luke 2 together on Christmas Eve. He’d make his terrible hot cocoa—burned every time, but I pretended it was perfect.”

That first Christmas alone, Dorothy couldn’t bring herself to decorate. “I left the boxes in the closet. What was the point? It would just make me miss him more.”

Christmas Eve arrived cold and dark. Dorothy sat in her quiet living room, feeling utterly alone. “I opened my Bible to Luke 2, like Walter and I always did. But when I got to verse 11—’Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you’—I started crying.”

She paused, wiping her eyes at the memory. “And then I heard it, clear as anything in my heart: ‘I’m still here, Dorothy. Emmanuel. God WITH you. I haven’t left.’”

“I realized something profound that night. Christmas isn’t about the tree or the cocoa or even the traditions, as precious as they are. It’s about the promise that God came to be with us, and He’s still keeping that promise. Walter’s chair was empty, but God’s presence filled that room. I wasn’t alone.”

Dorothy did something unexpected: she set two places at her small table—one for her, one left empty. “Not for Walter,” she explained. “For Jesus. A reminder that Emmanuel is here, sitting with me, present at my table. I talk to Him while I eat. Tell Him about my day. He’s the best company I could ask for.”

Research in the Journal of Religion and Health shows that maintaining spiritual practices during grief, especially during holidays, significantly reduces loneliness and depression. But Dorothy would say it simpler: “When you know God is with you, you’re never truly alone, no matter how empty the house feels.”

George’s Christmas Service: A New Tradition at 81

George, 81, spent 50 Christmases hosting elaborate family gatherings. “I loved it—the chaos, the noise, the grandkids running everywhere,” he remembered. But after moving to assisted living, those gatherings became impossible.

“My first Christmas here, I felt sorry for myself. I was the host. That was my role. Without it, who was I?”

Then George noticed something: many residents in his facility had no family visits planned for Christmas. “Some had lost touch with their kids. Others had outlived everyone. They’d be spending Christmas alone.”

An idea sparked. George couldn’t host like he used to, but he could do something. He organized a Christmas morning gathering in the common room. “Nothing fancy. Just coffee, store-bought cookies, and Christmas carols on the CD player.”

Twelve people showed up that first year. George had printed copies of the Christmas story from Luke 2. “We took turns reading it aloud—even Mrs. Patterson, who has terrible eyesight but insisted on reading anyway. Then we went around, and everyone shared their favorite Christmas memory.”

George’s eyes glistened. Mr. Chen told about his first Christmas in America in 1952. Mrs. Rodriguez talked about Christmas in Puerto Rico with her grandmother. We laughed and cried together. And suddenly it hit me: THIS is Emmanuel. God with us—not just in a manger 2000 years ago, but right here, right now, in this room full of lonely people finding family in each other.”

The tradition is now in its fifth year. Last year, 30 residents attended. “I’m not hosting as I used to,” George smiled. “I’m hosting like Jesus did—opening my arms to the lonely, the forgotten, the ones who need to know they’re not alone. That’s what Emmanuel means. God shows up where people gather in His name. And He showed up in our common room.”

Dr. Christina Victor’s research on loneliness and aging emphasizes that creating new traditions and finding new community connections is crucial for well-being in later life. George discovered this truth by embodying Emmanuel himself—being “God with us” to others who needed presence.

Beatrice’s Nativity Scene: 70 Years of Remembering

Beatrice, 88, has a nativity scene that’s been in her family for 70 years. “My mother gave it to me the year I got married,” she said, carefully unwrapping each ceramic figure. “I’ve set it up every Christmas since.”

But this year was different. Beatrice’s hands shake with Parkinson’s, and unwrapping each delicate piece took over an hour. “I dropped baby Jesus twice,” she admitted. “Had to glue His little arm back on. I thought, ‘Maybe I’m too old for this. Maybe it’s time to let it go.’”

But as she positioned each figure—the shepherds, the wise men, Mary and Joseph bending over the manger—something profound happened. “I realized I’ve been looking at this scene my whole adult life. I’ve set it up as a young bride, a new mother, a middle-aged woman, a grandmother, and now as a shaky old woman who can barely hold the pieces.”

Beatrice sat back and studied the scene. “And you know what hasn’t changed? Jesus in that manger. Emmanuel—God with us—in every single season. He was with me when I was young and strong. He’s with me now when I’m old and weak. The promise hasn’t changed just because I have.”

She pointed to baby Jesus with his freshly glued arm. “Even broken things matter to God. Even when we’re fragile and need mending, He’s still Emmanuel. Still with us. Still here.”

Beatrice made a decision: “As long as I can physically do it, I’m setting up this nativity. It’s not about perfection. It’s about remembering. Every Christmas of my life, God has been with me. And He’ll be with me this Christmas too, shaky hands and all.”

Gerontologist Dr. Lars Tornstam’s theory of “gerotranscendence” suggests that aging can bring a shift from a materialistic view to a more cosmic and transcendent one. Beatrice’s nativity scene represents this perfectly—what began as a decoration has become a symbol of God’s unchanging presence through every chapter of her life.

Reflection

Christmas changes as we age, does it not? The excitement of childhood Christmases fades into memory. The busy years of raising children and hosting big gatherings pass. The big traditions we once kept become difficult or impossible. Loved ones who made Christmas special are no longer here.

And sometimes we wonder: Is Christmas still meaningful when so much has changed?

But here is what Emmanuel teaches us: Christmas was never about the decorations. It was always about the presence.

When Jesus was born in Bethlehem, there was no decorated tree, no big meal, no presents wrapped in shiny paper. There was a teenage mother, a confused father, a feeding box for a cradle, and the smell of animals. It was simple. Humble. Ordinary.

And yet it was the most extraordinary moment in history because God Himself had entered the world. Emmanuel. God with us.

The heart of Christmas is not the size of the gathering, nor the perfection of the decorations, nor the number of presents under the tree. The heart of Christmas is presence—God’s presence with us, and our presence with each other.

This is why Dorothy’s quiet Christmas Eve alone could still be holy. Why George’s simple gathering in a common room could still be deep. Why Beatrice’s shaky hands setting up an old nativity could still be worship. Because Emmanuel does not depend on circumstances. He is present in all circumstances.

Max Lucado writes: “God entered the world on Christmas. What a difference his presence makes.” His presence changes everything—not by removing our losses or reversing our aging or bringing back what is gone, but by filling whatever space we find ourselves in with Himself.

Jesus’ birth was God’s declaration: I am not going to love you from a distance. I am coming to be WITH you. And when Jesus went to heaven, He did not abandon that promise. He sent His Spirit to continue the “with-ness.” He is still Emmanuel. Still God with us. Still present in our living rooms, our assisted living apartments, our quiet Christmas mornings, our lonely Christmas dinners.

The theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer, writing from a Nazi prison during his last Christmas, thought about this: “Christmas stands or falls with sharing, with hospitality, with understanding for the poor and the lonely.” He understood that Christmas is not about comfort and abundance—it is about presence, especially presence with those who feel most alone.

This is the beautiful truth: Christmas can feel lonelier than other times of year because the culture tells us it should be a time of gathering and celebration. But Christmas is actually the holiday most suited for loneliness, because its central message is for the lonely, the overlooked, the forgotten: God has not forgotten you. He came for you. He is with you.

The shepherds were outcasts, alone in fields with their sheep, when angels announced the Savior’s birth. Mary and Joseph were far from home, with no room available, when Jesus was born. The wise men traveled from far away, leaving everything familiar behind to find Him. Even Jesus’ birthplace was among the animals—He came to the edges, to the places people do not usually look for God.

If you are spending Christmas in circumstances you did not choose—alone when you would rather have company, limited when you would rather be active, dependent when you would rather be independent—you are in good company. God understands. He came into difficult circumstances, too. And He came specifically so that no matter what our circumstances look like, we would never have to face them without Him.

That is the miracle we celebrate: not that life is always merry and bright, but that God is always present, always near, always with us. Emmanuel does not require perfect circumstances to show up. He shows up especially when circumstances are hard.

This Christmas, whether you are surrounded by family or sitting alone, whether you are in your own home or somewhere new, whether you feel joyful or lonely or somewhere in between—Emmanuel is true. God is with you. Right here. Right now. In this very moment.

The traditions may change. The celebrations may look different. But the presence remains. And that is what Christmas has always been about.

Practical Truths (Going Deeper)

Christmas is about presence, not presents. When we are young, we focus on gifts and gatherings. But as we age, we discover the greater gift: God’s presence in our lives. Whether Christmas is quiet or busy, simple or elaborate, His presence is the constant that makes it meaningful.
God meets us in our actual circumstances. You do not have to recreate past Christmases for this one to be meaningful. God is not disappointed by your simpler celebrations. He is present in your current reality—exactly as it is. As Dorothy discovered, Jesus sits at your table whether it is set for one or twenty.
You can be Emmanuel to others. George showed us this beautifully. When we bring presence to lonely people, we show what Christmas means. You do not need perfect health or perfect circumstances to offer the gift of “being with” someone else.
Simple rituals carry deep meaning. Beatrice’s nativity scene. Dorothy’s empty chair for Jesus. George’s common room gathering. These are not elaborate—they are simple. But being simple does not reduce importance. The first Christmas was simple, too, and it changed everything.
Emmanuel is a promise for every day. Christmas reminds us of God’s presence, but His presence does not end on December 26th. The gift of Emmanuel extends through every ordinary day, every difficult season, every lonely moment. He is with you not just at Christmas, but always.

Prayer

Emmanuel, God with us, I celebrate Your coming this Christmas. Thank You that You did not stay distant but entered into our world, our struggles, our humanity. Thank You that You are still keeping that promise—You are still with us, still present, still near. This Christmas looks different from what I expected, Lord. Some faces are missing. Some traditions have changed. Some moments feel lonely. But You have not changed. You are still Emmanuel. Still here. Still with me. Help me to sense Your presence not just on Christmas day but in every ordinary moment. Teach me to be Your presence to others who feel alone. Let this Christmas be less about what I have lost and more about recognizing what I still have: You. Your presence. Your love. Your promise to never leave. That is the greatest gift I could ask for. In Your precious name, Jesus, Amen.

Call to Connection

Today’s Challenge: This Christmas, practice presence. Set an empty chair at your table as a reminder that Jesus is with you. Call someone who might be spending Christmas alone. Invite God into every moment of your day—the cooking, the quiet, the memories, the meals. Make this Christmas about recognizing Emmanuel in the ordinary.

Community: How has God’s presence sustained you during difficult Christmases? What does Emmanuel mean to you in this season of your life? Share your story in the comments—your experience of God’s faithfulness might encourage someone else. If you’re dreading Christmas or feeling lonely this year, leave the word “Praying” below, and this community will lift you up.

Related Music

“O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” – Traditional Hymn
“Emmanuel (Hallowed Manger Ground)” – Chris Tomlin
“Mary, Did You Know?” – Mark Lowry
“Silent Night, Holy Night” – Traditional Carol
“Joy to the World” – Isaac Watts (Traditional Hymn)

Facts & Research

According to the Journal of Religion and Health, maintaining spiritual practices during holidays significantly reduces loneliness and depression, especially for older adults experiencing loss.
Research by Dr. Christina Victor shows that creating new traditions and finding new community connections is crucial for well-being when traditional holiday celebrations become difficult.
A study in Psychology and Aging found that older adults who focus on the spiritual meaning of holidays rather than perfect celebrations report higher satisfaction and lower stress.
Dr. Lars Tornstam’s Gerotranscendence theory suggests that aging naturally brings a shift from materialistic to more transcendent, spiritual perspectives—making holidays like Christmas potentially more meaningful, not less.
Research shows that acts of service and connection during holidays improve mental health for both givers and receivers, supporting practices like George’s community gatherings.

Quotes from Resource Persons

Max Lucado, Pastor and Author: “God entered the world on Christmas. What a difference his presence makes.”

Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Theologian (from prison, his last Christmas): “Christmas stands or falls with sharing, with hospitality, with understanding for the poor and the lonely.”

Timothy Keller, Pastor: “The Christmas message is that there is hope for a ruined humanity—hope of pardon, hope of peace, hope of glory—because at the Father’s will Jesus Christ became poor, and was born in a stable so that thirty years later He might hang on a cross.”

Ann Voskamp, Author: “Advent is the season that can teach us to wait expectantly for God’s presence to break through in ordinary, holy moments.”

C.S. Lewis, Author: “The Son of God became a man to enable men to become sons of God.”

Sources & Further Reading

Matthew 1:23; Isaiah 9:6; John 1:14; Matthew 28:20; Luke 2:11 (NIV)
Journal of Religion and Health studies on spiritual practices during holidays
Victor, C., research on loneliness and aging
Tornstam, L. “Gerotranscendence: A Developmental Theory of Positive Aging.”
Lucado, M. “God Came Near.”
Bonhoeffer, D. “Letters and Papers from Prison.”
Voskamp, A. “The Greatest Gift: Unwrapping the Full Love Story of Christmas.”
Stories of Dorothy, George, and Beatrice are composites based on pastoral care experiences, with names and details changed to protect privacy.