Now that the gifts are unwrapped and the season is soon ending; there is one gift that will never grow old or fade. His Presence!Imagine that first night when his mother Mary and earthly father Joseph first beheld him. He wrapped them in His Presence in that lowly place and made the common place a heavenly one.
And the shepherds who heard the "good tidings"; when they broke through the door of that stable to see a tiny babe just as the angels had told them. But not just an ordinary child. The Holy One was Born! The Living Word...Emmanuel....God with us....lay upon soft hay in a manger; not wrapped in kingly attire, but in a common cloth as common as they....but....when they beheld him....awakening happened as he shrouded them in the glory of His Presence!
Those very wise men who followed a different star and traveled a dangerous journey not knowing where they would end up in that quest and not realizing that they would behold the very Son of God; where that star would finally rest. When they beheld him they presented their most noble riches to him and in exchange His love and light shone upon them as He wrapped them in the Glory of His Presence.
Common parents, common shepherds, and royal kings. From the lowly to the elite. In His Presence there is no respect of persons. In His Presence there is true unity. In His Presence is fullness of joy. In His Presence is the essence of all light and life and joy! And in His Presence is salvation; peace and goodwill to all men!
There is no greater gift.
There has never been any better presents than being in His Presence!
Sometimes...God sends the rain. I've always loved the rain...but not always the danger that might come from it. A gentle rain...ah....it is for laying your back with closed eyes and allowing it to refresh; harder rain is needed to get deep into the soil (soul) where good things need water to grow...
