SoCal Christmas – Week 1: Christmas Vacation
Week of December 8-14, 2025
Week 1 invites us to step onto the road with Mary and Joseph and see the Christmas story the way Scripture presents it; not polished, not peaceful, not predictable, but profoundly real. Inconvenience, interruptions, and uncertainty marked their journey to Bethlehem, yet God was at work in every step. This week reminds us that the road we never planned to travel is often the very place God reveals His presence and fulfills His promises. As we read and reflect, we discover that Jesus meets us in motion, not after we arrive. He enters the imperfect spaces of our lives, not the ideal ones. Christmas begins on a crowded road, in an overcrowded town, to show us that heaven comes into the real world—into our real lives—when we make room for Him.
God Works Through Unchosen Roads
Read:
Luke 2:1–5; Proverbs 16:9; Psalm 37:23–24; Romans 8:28
Reflect:
Mary and Joseph’s road to Bethlehem began with a decree they didn’t choose, at a time they wouldn’t have preferred, under circumstances none of us would volunteer for. Yet God used this forced journey to position them precisely where His promise would be fulfilled. One of the great mysteries of God’s sovereignty is that He weaves His purposes through the parts of life we would never script. When your life feels redirected, rerouted, or even derailed, Christmas reminds you: God is not hindered by inconvenience. He is working in the very places that feel out of your control. He is fulfilling His promises in the steps you didn’t plan.
Questions:
What part of your current “journey” feels unchosen, unexpected, or inconvenient?
How might God be positioning you through this season rather than punishing you?
God Meets Us on the Journey, Not Just at the Destination
Read:
Luke 2:6–7; Genesis 28:15; Isaiah 41:9–10; Psalm 139:7–10
Reflect:
The miracle of Christmas is not just that Jesus was born; it’s that God met Mary and Joseph in motion, on the road, in the uncomfortable middle. They didn’t arrive in Bethlehem feeling spiritually ready or emotionally peaceful, yet God showed up right where they were. Often, we wait for the destination to feel close to God; after things calm down, after life becomes orderly, after the season slows. But God meets His people in the middle of the journey, not after it. He is Emmanuel, God with us, not God after we figure things out. He walks with you, sustains you, strengthens you, and speaks to you in the very steps you’re taking today.
Questions:
Where do you need to shift from “I’ll meet with God when things calm down” to “God is with me right where I am”?
How does knowing God is present on the journey affect your outlook this week?
Jesus Enters Imperfect Spaces
Read:
Luke 2:7; John 1:14; 2 Corinthians 12:9–10; Isaiah 57:15
Reflect:
Jesus was not born in a palace, a temple, or even a quiet home. He was born in a borrowed space, in far-from-ideal conditions, surrounded by noise, animals, and the exhaustion of travel. This is not a picture of spiritual perfection. It’s a picture of divine humility. Christmas declares that God does not wait for your life, home, emotions, or schedule to be perfectly prepared before He enters. He specializes in showing up in the unimpressive, unseen, and unlikely places. The question is never “Is my life put together enough for Jesus?” The question is, “Am I willing to let Him in, even if the space feels messy?”
Questions:
What “imperfect” area of your life do you hesitate to invite Jesus into?
What would it look like to let Him enter that space this week?
Making Room for Christ in a Crowded World
Read:
Luke 2:7; Revelation 3:20; Mark 4:18–19; Psalm 46:10
Reflect:
Bethlehem wasn’t hostile toward Jesus; it was simply full. The tragedy of “no room” was not rejection. It was overcrowding. Today, our lives resemble Bethlehem more than we realize. Our minds are full of noise, our schedules full of commitments, our hearts full of burdens. The danger is not that we actively push Jesus away, but that we have unintentionally filled every available space with other things. Christmas is an invitation to re-center your life, clear the clutter, and create intentional room for the presence of Jesus. Making room is not a sentimental idea; it is a spiritual discipline.
Questions:
What is currently overcrowding your inner life mentally, emotionally, or spiritually?
What one space can you intentionally clear this week to create room for Jesus?
God Uses Disruption as Direction
Read: Micah 5:2; Luke 2:1–4; Genesis 50:20; Isaiah 55:8–9
Reflect:
The census that forced Joseph and Mary to travel was not a divine accident. It was divine alignment. God used political activity, inconvenient timing, and chaotic circumstances to fulfill prophecy. If God can use Caesar’s decree to bring the Messiah into Bethlehem, He can certainly use the disruptions in your life to bring about His purposes in you. We often interpret disruptions as obstacles to God’s will when they may in fact be the vehicles of God’s will. The road you never wanted to walk may be leading you toward a miracle you never expected to see.
Questions:
What recent disruption might God be using to direct your steps?
How can you trust His sovereignty in the middle of uncertainty?
God Is Present in Seasons of Transition
Read:
Luke 2:1–5; Joshua 1:9; Philippians 1:6; Hebrews 13:5–6
Reflect:
The journey to Bethlehem was a season of transition; between Nazareth and the promise, between what was familiar and what was coming next. God does some of His most transformative work in the in-between places: between jobs, between decisions, between clarity and confusion. The middle is not a spiritual wasteland; it is often holy ground. God shapes character, builds faith, and draws people deeper into dependence during transition. If life feels unsettled or in motion, you’re in good company. The first Christmas was built in transition, and God was working in every step.
Questions:
What transition are you in right now, big or small?
What is God teaching during this season, and how might He be using it to form you?
The Journey Leads Us to Jesus
Read:
Luke 2:6–7; John 14:27; Matthew 11:28–30; Psalm 16:11
Reflect:
The journey for Mary and Joseph ended not in a palace, but in a manger. Yet the destination wasn’t the point. The person of Jesus was! Every challenging step, every detour, every moment of exhaustion led them to Jesus. The same is true for us. The purpose of the journey is not the scenery but the Savior. The road you’re on, no matter how tiring, is bringing you closer to the One who offers rest, peace, joy, and life. When you reach Him, you find more than a moment of relief; you find His presence. And that changes everything!
Questions:
Where do you sense Jesus inviting you to meet Him this Christmas season?
How will you intentionally draw near to Him this week?
