God is With Us

Sunday, December 21, 2025 - Fourth Sunday of Advent

The Rev. Morgan Walker Annable (she/her)

Pastor, Grace Lutheran Church (Wadsworth, OH)

Allied Christian

Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be pregnant from the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to divorce her quietly. But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: “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 1:18-23)

Our world leaves us with much to be afraid of. For the LGBTQIA+ community, those fears are often amplified. Questions like these flood the minds of Queer folks on a daily basis:

• Am I free to be myself in a world that often shows me hate instead of love?

• Will I face public disgrace or even violence?

• How long, O Lord, will the suffering continue for our LGBTQIA+siblings?

Our world leaves us with much to be afraid of, and rightfully so. The injustices against LGBTQIA+ folks don’t seem to go away. The questions and worries creep their way into our minds with ample justification for our fears. Even still, the nativity story from Matthew offers us two reminders:

1. Do not be afraid.

2. God is with us.

These reminders are easier said than felt most of the time. How are we to let go of our fear when danger seems so close? And how are we to know that God is with us when God often feels so far away? I don’t have easy answers to these questions. And yet, in this Christmas

season, we are still reminded: Do not be afraid. God is with us.

In the midst of our fear, God is with us. In holiday gatherings with chosen family, God is with us. In the midst of injustice and violence, God is with us. In the joy of a person living into their identity as someone made in the image of God, God is with us. Even when fear creeps in, even when our hope seems lost, even when we feel like things will never change, God’s gentle voice whispers: “My beloved child, do not be afraid. I am with you.:

Reflection

What fears do you want to let go of so you can experience God’s presence more fully?

Action

Elyse Myers often says she doesn’t “get over” her fear before doing something. Instead, she just “does things scared.” So today, do one thing that scares you. Maybe you tell someone how you feel, set a boundary, or try something new. Whatever you do, know that God is with you each step of the way. In the process, you may learn more about yourself and about God’s presence in your life.