Christmas Presence - All Our Daily Bread Daily Devotionals for 2026

Our Daily Bread - Tuesday, December 2, 2020
by RBC Ministries

Details

Christmas Presence

Bible in a Year: Ezekiel 42-44, 1 John 1

The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son.
Isaiah 7:14

Today's Scripture & Insight: Isaiah 7:10-14

"No ear may hear His coming, but in this world of sin, where meek souls will receive Him still, the dear Christ enters in." Those words from Phillips Brooks' much-loved hymn "O Little Town of Bethlehem" point to the very heart of Christmas. Jesus came into our broken world to rescue us from our sin and give all who would put their faith in Him a new and vital relationship with God.

In a letter to a friend decades after he wrote the hymn, Brooks poignantly described the outcome of this relationship in his own life: "I cannot tell you how personal this grows to me. He is here. He knows me and I know Him. It is no figure of speech. It is the realest thing in the world, and every day makes it realer. And one wonders with delight what it will grow to as the years go on."

Brooks' calm assurance of God's presence in his life reflects one of the names of Jesus prophesied by Isaiah: "The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel" (Isaiah 7:14). The gospel of Matthew gives us the meaning of the Hebrew name Immanuel: "God with us" (1:23).

God drew near to us through Jesus so we could know Him personally and be with Him forever. His loving presence with us is the greatest gift of all.

By: James Banks

Reflect & Pray
What does it mean to you that God loves you so much He wants to be with you always? How will you draw near to Him today?

Loving God, thank You for giving Yourself to me through Your life on earth, death on the cross, and resurrection. Please help me to live for You today and forever!
Christmas Presence

More From Our Daily Devotional Archives

The LORD is near
for Monday, December 9, 2013
by Jacob Redekop, Brian Reynolds, John van Dijk, Eugene P. Vedder Jr

Jehovah appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre. And...

Jehovah appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre. And he sat at the tent-door in the heat of the day. And he lifted up his eyes and saw, and behold, three men standing near him.
(Genesis 18:1)

The spiritual elevation of Abraham in Genesis 18 and 19 is something very peculiar. He seems...More

Open Heavens
for Thursday, December 26, 2013
by Pastor E.A Adeboye

FASTING IS NECESSARY

To relate with the Holy Spirit, you must be holy. You must also exercise a living faith, pray and fast. Some people will tell you that because had finished the work of salvation, there is no need to fast. To them, fasting is completely needless and is some form of self-inflicted punishment. But they forget that...More

Open Heavens
for Wednesday, August 27, 2014
by Pastor E.A Adeboye

REWARD FOR LABOUR

Jacob sojourned with Laban and laboured for him for several years. At first, his host was cheating him at every opportunity, and the years of his hard labour were almost in vain. Down the line, God had to intervene to enable Jacob eat the fruit of his labour. For a reader of this devotional, in every area that you...More

Open Heavens
for Friday, November 20, 2015
by Pastor E.A Adeboye

HOW PROPHETIC ARE YOUR NAMES?

The name you bear is very important because it serves as your identity and your future may be connected to it. The name a person bears is sometimes indicative of the experiences he or she will encounter in life. Take for instance Moses: this name means "drawn out of water"

Bible in one year:
Job...More