You Haven’t Missed Him: Christ’s Unfailing Presence
By Dean Collins
Did you see him? Was there a fresh appearance? Did Advent bring an epiphany? I guess we are still in the 12 days of Christmas, so if you haven’t experienced a new awareness or awakening, you have until January 6.
Our calendars and schedules help us stay organized. We all have so much to do. And I suppose the liturgical calendar is designed to guide us toward a fuller understanding of Christ while we await his final return. There’s nothing particularly wrong or right about calendars, be they ordinary or associated with our faith. But I suspect you have figured out that calendars aren’t magical. Days come and go. Holidays, even religious ones, often bring stress and fatigue.
I’ve noticed over the years that Christmas and Easter can be particularly exhausting to pastors and other church staff members, others who are active in the church, and those working in a faith-based nonprofit organization. So maybe it is a fair question to raise about whether we had an encounter with Jesus in these days of celebration. We are often simply too busy even to notice his presence.
Maybe today is a day simply to relax and reconnect with the God who knows us better and longer than we know ourselves. We bring no surprises to the one who has searched us and known us even before the moment we were formed in the womb.
David reminds us that God knows our coming and going, our thoughts and our words, even before we express them. And even in the darkest hours of fatigue, disappointment, and grief, our loving Creator does not pull back; he surrounds us.
Our busy schedules do not make him run away. Our inability to focus on him does not deter his pursuit of us. When enemies come, he will be there. In our sleep he is still with us. No amount of failure can interrupt his love. And if we try to escape, there will be no place he will not be waiting, ready to embrace us.
So if somehow you missed him on Christmas morning, do not fret or fill your mind with guilt. Just stop. Read psalm 139 out loud. Be still with God. Take a walk with him. He can handle it, and you will be better for it if you simply ask him to search you and know your heart. You haven’t missed him. He is still present and available. Enjoy his presence today.
Your time with God’s Word
Psalm 139:1-24 ESV
Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash
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