God is With Us | 2025 Pre-Conference Devotional
“Look, the virgin shall become pregnant and give birth to a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel,” which means, “God is with us.”
— Matthew 1:23, NRSVue
Our conference theme this year is “All That I Am,” exploring the glorious and diverse beauty that is present in God, our neighbors, and ourselves. You may have seen the advertisements for our conference shirt with the phrase “God is” and a bunch of descriptors following it. We’ll discuss one of those phrases today: “God is with us.”
What might it mean to say that “God is with us?” We are currently celebrating the season of Christmas, where we rejoice in God’s incarnation as part of the created order. Now some believe this as a historical truth while others relate to it more as allegorical truth. Either way, to contemplate God coming to earth as a child, as an infant, is such a glorious image of God’s identification with us!
Some folks find the Christmas season joyful and encouraging. Others may deal with grief, or loss, or a sense that something is missing. Others still may experience anger or resentment. Many LGBTQ+ people face separation from family members, friends, and church communities who do not affirm the fullness of their identity.
We cannot speak to exactly what you believe, observe or experience in this season. Each person’s experience is unique. We do believe that this season, however, offers each of us a unique opportunity to connect with God and community.
What does it mean to say that “God is with us?” It is a reminder that wherever we go, whatever we experience, in all that we are, we are not alone. Somehow, in a miraculous way, God is present to us in our experiences, whether they be expressions of joy or of pain, or some complex mix of many emotions.
We want to offer an invitation as we journey through the Christmas season in our own ways and as we look forward to the QCF conference in January: To what extent and in what ways do you perceive God’s presence “with us” in the situations you are experiencing?
