Presents? Or Presence?

God isn’t seeking presents from us, but presence. In a world that tries to pull our attention every which way, how are we able to be present with God?

You’ve wrapped the last present and topped it off with a big red bow. As you place it under the Christmas tree, you check your list and you have all of your loved ones cared for. Gifts for your family, friends and even your gift to Christ given to do His work through your church - it’s all under the tree.

The act of giving presents is a tangible way we show love to others and bring them joy. Gift-giving at Christmas is also a way to remember the ultimate gift that God gave to each of us through sending His son Jesus. But what about the act of being present? So often, we are so focused on giving presents that we push aside giving our presence. 

Being present offers relational connection by giving our time and attention to someone. It’s listening, understanding and letting them know they have great value.  We read in Psalm 46:1 "God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble." God is not only ever-present in our lives but He desires us to be in His presence also. This is why one of the most important things we can do as parents is to intentionally bring God’s presence into our homes and activities.

When we are in God’s presence, we experience the wonder of the incarnation; God becoming man. C.S.Lewis says, “The Son of God became a man to enable men to become sons of God.” We are God’s children and He craves time with us.  Being intentional about “being present” with God with your family doesn’t have to be complicated. It could mean:

• Starting each day by simply asking God to fill your home with His presence. Pray this as a family! 
• Posting favorite Bible verses around the house to purposefully remind you of God’s goodness and guidance.
• Filling your cars and homes with worship songs. Dance, sing and worship God as you drive kids to activities, as you cook and clean, when playing games with your kids. 
• Or randomly saying, “This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” (Psalm 118:24) It’s hard not to find joy and gratitude as you acknowledge that God has given you another day as a gift and you turn your mind towards rejoicing. 

The key is small reminders that lead our entire family to know God is in our homes and we are in His presence. 

One last tip. Don’t forget the stillness and quiet that is needed to connect with God also. In our last blog post, we discussed the importance of “being still” as a family to reflect on the wonder of the birth of Jesus. Especially at Christmas!

So as you finish wrapping all of your presents, remember the other presence also!

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MecKidz