The Power of Presence

 In a few days if not before, children will be ripping into presents.  I remember when our girls were younger Christmas morning was about shaking packages, tearing the paper, peaking into boxes and then tossing them off to the side to see what was in the next package.  Whether the package was small or large, it didn't matter - the anticipation was the same.

The family dynamics change when your children grow older; Christmas begins to be about sleeping in on Christmas mornings and the kids receiving gifts and giving gifts to their friends.  Lisa and I are looking forward to being home this year for Christmas - one of the first ever if not the first.  We will exchange gifts - have a cup of coffee - the phone will probably not ring unless it is family.  Not sure if we will see our married daughter until later and our youngest daughter (age 20) - only the Sovereignty of God knows what she will be doing.  

Now onto what I am thinking this morning: it's not about presents for me and I don't think it has been for years.  It's about presence.  It's about being together with those you love.  I think that is the key to discipleship too by the way - it's not curriculum or knowledge it the power of your presence letting Christ shine through you to someone else.

Henri Nouwen told the story of a student who, many years after graduation, returned to sit in his old professor's office where so many questions had been answered and so many problems had been solved. When the student entered he told his professor that he didn't need anything, he came just to visit, to be together. They sat for a while in silence and looked at each other. One broke the silence by telling the other how nice it was to see each other. The other agreed, and then there was silence. Then the student said, "When I look at you it is as if I am in the presence of Christ." The professor remembers that did not startle or surprise him and that he could only respond with, "It is the Christ in you who recognizes the Christ in me." The student replied with the most healing words Nouwen had heard in many years. "Yes, Christ indeed is in our midst. From now on, wherever you go, or wherever I go, all the ground between us will be holy ground."

Have a great Christmas filled with the presence of Jesus and the presence of those whom you love!