Morning Devotional 121225 Emmanuel! God with us!

Liz’s Morning Devotional: Scripture selected from Upper Room

December 12, 2025 

John 14:23-27

23 Jesus answered, “Whoever loves me will keep my word. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. 24 Whoever doesn’t love me doesn’t keep my words. The word that you hear isn’t mine. It is the word of the Father who sent me. 25 “I have spoken these things to you while I am with you. 26 The Companion, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I told you. 27 “Peace I leave with you. My peace I give you. I give to you not as the world gives. Don’t be troubled or afraid.

Good Morning! Emmanuel, God with Us!

Think about a time when you were in a classroom or a meeting, and the presenter shared an immense amount of information. You listened diligently, took notes, and nodded to indicate comprehension. You closed your notebook and went home. 

When the time came to use this newly acquired information, you realized you didn’t remember much of it. You open your notebook to review your notes, but you can’t regain that comprehension that you had in the moment. 

The more complex the words and meanings, the more challenging it is to access the knowledge that you previously had. You might ask yourself, “How did I make sense of this in class, but now when I’m alone, it looks like a jumbled mess of numbers and letters?” 

The problem often arises when we try to work independently. The Good News is that God, through Jesus, sent the Holy Spirit to be with us always. Emmanuel, God with Us! These are not just pretty words on a page; they are God’s promise to lead us and help us navigate our lives.

26 The Companion, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I told you. 

God promises that whenever our situations resemble that bowl of alphabet soup with disjointed letters swimming in the chicken broth, the Holy Spirit is within us to help us unscramble our thoughts and find the right path. The Holy Spirit is our personal tutor, guiding, teaching, and reminding us of God’s lessons. 

Emmanuel, Emmanuel, 

His name is called, Emmanuel.

God with us! Revealed in us!

His name is called, Emmanuel.

Lord, you bless us abundantly! Thank you for sending the Holy Spirit to be our guide and interpreter. We love you, Lord! In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen

Thought for the day: No matter how big our problems are, God is bigger.

Emmanuel! God with us! Pastor Liz