Emmanuel: The Gift of Presence

Presence is a rare gift these days. How often are we truly and completely together with our loved ones—without the distractions of technology or to-do lists?

We meet with a friend who looks at their phone instead of us—then our own buzzes with someone needing something. We try to enjoy the Christmas lights but the stress of the gifts to be bought or the mess in the kitchen steals our enjoyment. 

Fully present, fully in the moment. Fully able to respond to those around us because we aren’t lost in our thoughts about other things. It’s beautiful and peaceful, and difficult to achieve. We crave it because we were created for a God who is fully present with us.

Jesus gave us presence. He is Emmanuel, God with us.

Join me in taking a moment to explore what this means and how we can walk in presence today.

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Devotional:

Emmanuel: God with Us.

Perfect presence is hard to imagine in the speed and chaos we live in these days. But it has come to us and invites us into it. God with us. What does it mean?

God:

Noun: The creator and ruler, the supreme being.

He could be seen as distant, too important for us. Yet Christmas comes. And with it, a baby born in humility, that we would know he is God of all and for all. He came not as observer, but participant. He is a God who comes close.

With:

Preposition: Accompanying, participating in agreement. To be with someone fully.

God’s presence isn’t partial or divided. He does not glance away while we speak. He inclines his ear. His presence is unbroken.

“You know when I sit down and when I stand up; You understand my thoughts from far away.” Psalm 139:1-3.

Rather reminds you of a certain Santa Claus song, doesn’t it? My daughter was singing it, replacing Santa Claus with “Baby Jesus” because it’s true: Christ is the one who knows when we sleep, when we rise, and he’s the one coming to “wipe away every tear.” Revelation 21:4.

Us: 

Pronoun: You and me.

Ordinary, tired, distracted, trying to be present yet often overwhelmed. Emmanuel does not mean God with certain, perfect people. It means God with us. In the kitchen, in the car, in the late-night gift wrapping, in the noise and the chaos, in the darkness and the light. God is present.

God With Us:

His presence came to us, to invite us into presence with him. While God’s presence is readily available, we must make the choice to enter it.

We’ll never achieve it perfectly, but we show our love for God and others when we seek presence. When we put the phone down, listen without rushing, linger in prayer, and live fully and completely in the moment. When we schedule and delegate responsibly, shut out the noise, and give someone our full focus.

In those moments, we imitate our Savior: Emmanuel.

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Author Updates

I’ve been enjoying Christmas reads lately. While I don’t watch Hallmark movies, I’m all for a sappy sweet storyline in a book (don’t question the logic here). Anybody else a seasonal reader?

If you’d like something Christmasy, any of the books in the Christmas in Redemption Ridge series are sweet, Christian love stories. And for a more suspenseful vibe, I’ve been enjoying Natalie Walters lately, and she has a Christmas book that’s next on my list. 

That’s about it for author updates. I’ve been absolutely lost in my imaginary worlds writing lately, but nothing to share as of yet!

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Thank you!

Thank you for joining me this month, I’m praying for a season of peace and light for all who need it. I’d love to hear from you—what helps you to be present with those around you, despite the busy season?