When Plans Fall Apart

Sunday Rewind is a 5-day Devotional based on the weekly sermon at Resonate Community Church

December 14th Sermon, Day 2

Mary and Joseph had their lives planned out. In their culture, engagement was a serious 12-month commitment filled with preparation and anticipation. They knew what to expect, had their timeline mapped out, and were ready for their future together. Then everything changed with an angelic announcement that would turn their world upside down.

Sudenly, Mary was pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Joseph faced the possibility of public disgrace. They had to make a difficult 90-mile journey while Mary was near term. Their child would be born in less-than-ideal conditions, far from family and the comfort of home. Nothing was going according to plan.

Yet in the midst of all this chaos and uncertainty, Mary and Joseph held onto something greater than their plans - they held onto God's promises. The angels had spoken. The prophecies were being fulfilled. Even when their circumstances felt overwhelming, they trusted that God was in control.

Life has a way of disrupting our carefully laid plans. Jobs change, relationships shift, health challenges arise, and dreams get deferred. But here's the beautiful truth: your disrupted plans don't disrupt God's purposes. In fact, sometimes what feels like everything falling apart is actually everything falling into place according to God's perfect design.

When your plans crumble, remember Mary and Joseph. Hold fast to God's promises, even when you can't see the full picture.

Bible Verse

'Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.' - Isaiah 9:7

Reflection Question

How can you hold onto God's promises when your own plans seem to be falling apart?

Quote

Your status and your reputation doesn't matter to God. And your life…It's not too much for God. It's not too messy for God.

Prayer

Father, when my plans don't work out the way I expected, help me to trust in Your greater plan. Give me the faith to believe that You are working all things together for good, even when I can't see it. Amen.

Looking For The Wrong Rock

Sunday Rewind is a 5-day Devotional based on the weekly sermon at Resonate Community Church

December 14th Sermon, Day 1

Have you ever been so focused on one thing that you completely missed something else happening right in front of you? In 2013, astronomers around the world had their telescopes trained on an expected asteroid, watching intently for its approach. But while they were looking in one direction, an entirely different meteor blazed through the atmosphere over Russia, catching everyone off guard and injuring over 1,500 people. They were so focused on the expected that they missed the unexpected.

This happens to us more often than we'd like to admit. We get tunnel vision about how we think God should work in our lives. We expect Him to answer our prayers in specific ways, show up in particular circumstances, or move through certain people. But God rarely works within the narrow confines of our expectations.

Mary and Joseph understood this. When their carefully planned engagement was interrupted by angelic announcements, they could have focused on their shattered expectations. Instead, they chose to trust in God's bigger plan, even when it looked nothing like what they had imagined. This Christmas season, what expectations might be limiting your ability to see God at work?

Are you so focused on how you think things should go that you're missing how God is actually moving? Sometimes the very thing we're looking for is right there, but it doesn't look like what we expected.

Bible Verse

'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

Reflection Question

What narrow expectations in your life might be causing you to miss how God is actually working around you?

Quote

Sometimes our narrow expectations cause us to miss the very thing we're looking for.

Prayer

Lord, help me to release my narrow expectations and open my eyes to see how You are working in ways I never imagined. Give me the faith to trust Your plan even when it doesn't match my own. Amen.

Becoming Hope For Others

Sunday Rewind is a 5-day Devotional based on the weekly sermon at Resonate Community Church

December 7th Sermon, Day 5

The Christmas story reminds us that God didn't wait for us to get our act together before He reached out to us. While we were busy, distracted, and even resistant to His love, He stepped into our world. This is the foundation of our hope - not that we finally found God, but that He found us first. Now we get to be part of extending that same hope to others.

Every time we welcome someone, we're reflecting God's heart. Every act of kindness, every moment of genuine attention, every gesture of hospitality becomes a way of saying to someone else what God said to us: 'You matter, you're seen, you're loved.' The world around us is full of people who feel invisible, overwhelmed, and disconnected. They're wondering if anyone notices their struggles or cares about their story.

You have the incredible opportunity to be the answer to that longing. You can be the person who sees them, who makes room for them, who offers them hope. This doesn't require grand gestures or dramatic changes to your life. It happens through small, consistent acts of love - a listening ear, an encouraging word, an invitation to coffee, a helping hand. These simple moments can become profound experiences of God's love for someone who desperately needs it.

As you go through this week, remember that your welcome isn't just kindness - it's God's mission. You're not just being nice; you're participating in the same work that brought Jesus to earth. You're helping hope find a way into someone's heart, just as hope found its way into yours. The same God who made room for you can work through you to make room for others.

Bible Verse

'In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born. And she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.' - Luke 2:1-7

Reflection Question

How can you intentionally position yourself this week to be an instrument of God's hope and welcome in someone else's life?

Quote

One small welcome may be the doorway through which hope enters somebody's heart.

Prayer

Lord, thank You for reaching out to me first and making room for me in Your family. Now help me extend that same welcome to others. Open my eyes to see people who need hope, and give me courage to be Your hands and feet in their lives. Use me to help hope find a way into someone's heart this week. Amen.

The Power of A Simple Welcome

Sunday Rewind is a 5-day Devotional based on the weekly sermon at Resonate Community Church

December 7th Sermon, Day 4

Hospitality doesn't require a perfect home, gourmet meals, or elaborate preparations. The family in Bethlehem who welcomed Mary and Joseph didn't offer luxury accommodations - they simply shared what they had. Their lower level, probably shared with animals, became the most significant birthplace in history.

In our image-conscious world, we often hesitate to open our homes or lives to others because we feel unprepared. We think we need the right furniture, the perfect meal, or more time to clean. But true hospitality isn't about impressing people; it's about making them feel seen and valued.

Sometimes the most powerful welcome is simply asking, 'How are you really?' and then actually listening to the answer. It's offering a cup of coffee to a neighbor, inviting someone to sit with you at lunch, or sending an encouraging text to someone who's struggling. Every act of welcome, no matter how small, reflects God's heart. When we open our lives to others - our homes, our tables, our time, our attention - we're demonstrating the same love that God showed when He made room for us in His family.

The people around you are carrying burdens you can't see. They're dealing with loneliness, stress, and uncertainty. Your simple gesture of welcome might be exactly what they need to experience hope again. You don't need to have all the answers or solve their problems; you just need to be present and caring. Today, look for one small way to welcome someone. It might be the doorway through which hope enters their heart.

Bible Verse

'In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born. And she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.' - Luke 2:1-7

Reflection Question

Who in your life might be waiting for a simple gesture of welcome from you, and what small step could you take to reach out to them this week?

Quote

Hospitality doesn't require perfection. It just requires presence.

Prayer

God, help me see the people around me who need to experience Your love through my welcome. Give me courage to reach out, even when I feel unprepared. Use my simple gestures to bring hope to someone who needs it today. Amen.

Making Room In Busy Lives

Sunday Rewind is a 5-day Devotional based on the weekly sermon at Resonate Community Church

December 7th Sermon, Day 3

Bethlehem was packed. Everyone had come to register for the census, and there simply wasn't abundant space for a young couple expecting a baby. People weren’t being cruel; they were just overwhelmed with the demands of a crowded season.

Sound familiar? Our lives often feel like that crowded Bethlehem. Our schedules are full, our minds are racing, and we're managing countless responsibilities. In the busyness, it's easy to miss the sacred moments happening right around us. We can become so focused on our to-do lists that we overlook the people God places in our path.

Yet even in that crowded, chaotic environment, room was made. Someone offered their lower level, their humble space, and it became the birthplace of hope. The lesson is powerful: we don't need perfect circumstances or unlimited time to make room for what matters most. Making room isn't about having more space or fewer responsibilities. It's about choosing to slow down long enough to notice. It's about being present in the moment instead of rushing to the next thing. It's about seeing people as more than interruptions to our plans.

Today, you have opportunities to make room - room in your schedule for a meaningful conversation, room in your heart for someone who's struggling, room at your table for unexpected guests. The question isn't whether you have enough space, but whether you're willing to create it. When we make room for others, we're participating in the same spirit that made room for Jesus. We're creating space where hope can be born.

Bible Verse

'In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born. And she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.' - Luke 2:1-7

Reflection Question

What would it look like for you to slow down this week and make room for the people God might be placing in your path?

Quote

You can't welcome someone if you don't notice them. And it might be that the pace of your life, like my life, is the biggest barrier to us practicing hospitality.

Prayer

Lord, help me resist the urge to rush through life. Give me wisdom to know when to pause, when to listen, and when to make room for others. Show me how to create space in my busy life for the sacred moments You want to give me. Amen.