December 22, 2025 

Psalm 34:15–18 speaks of The Nearness of God. “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” These are not words written from comfort, but from experience. The psalmist declares that even when life feels shattered, God leans in close enough to hear every sigh. His nearness is both promise and presence.

Devotional:

Some nights stretch long enough to make you wonder if morning will ever come. Psalm 34 is for those nights. David writes from a place of fear and failure, yet his song is one of confidence: “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted.”

This is the truth Advent brings to life—The Nearness of God. He doesn’t hover above the pain or wait for us to pull ourselves together. He moves closer. When our hearts fracture, He enters the cracks. When we’re too weary to pray, His Spirit intercedes with groans deeper than words.

We tend to equate God’s presence with peace and His absence with struggle, but Scripture flips that idea upside down. It’s often in the hardest places that His nearness is most profound. The manger itself is proof: the Son of God came not to a palace but to a stable. The first to meet Him weren’t kings but shepherds—ordinary, overlooked, unshaven souls who heard heaven’s song in the night.

Maybe that’s where you are—tired, burdened, uncertain. Advent doesn’t deny the weight; it declares that God carries it with you. The nearness of God is not measured by the absence of pain but by the presence of love.

This nearness restores. It doesn’t erase sorrow, but it transforms it. A heart once crushed by despair becomes a vessel of hope because it’s been held by the hands that heal. When you can’t see the way forward, remember: God’s closeness isn’t earned. It’s given. It’s the gift of Immanuel—God with us, still.

You are never out of His reach. Not in grief. Not in doubt. Not even in silence. The One who wrapped Himself in human skin has wrapped His love around you, too.

Action:

Light a candle tonight and whisper, “You are near.” Let the flame remind you that God’s presence burns steadily even in the darkness.

Prayer:

Near God, thank You for coming close to the brokenhearted. Stay near when I am weary and afraid. Let Your presence heal what I cannot fix. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Thought for the Day:
The closer we draw to God, the more we realize He was never far away.

Advent reminds us that God is not distant—He’s near. Psalm 34 tells us He stays close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. That’s not theory. That’s God stepping into the real ache of real people. When life feels heavy or scattered, He doesn’t wait for us to rise above it. He moves closer. The manger proves it. The Savior of the world chose a stable so we would never doubt His willingness to enter our mess. If your heart feels cracked or tired this season, take heart. God is already leaning in, already listening, already holding what you can’t carry. His nearness is the hope Advent promises.