Presents or Presence

It’s all about the presents!

When my children, Brian and Karen, were young their grandparents would make the 7 hour drive from Southern California to our home in Oakland to celebrate Christmas.  The kids would run excitedly out the front door as Grandma and Grandpa pulled up in the driveway in that big Ford LTD. Then, with great fanfare, the huge trunk would open stuffed to the gills with tons of beautifully wrapped boxes.  Wow! What fun and excitement as we carried all those presents into the house and placed them around the tree where they would spill out all over the floor.

The anticipation of opening all those presents brought joy to all of us, but was it really about the presents?  Why did Grandma and Grandpa make that trip? What did they really want? What they really wanted was our presence. They came all that way so that they could be with us, so that they could see the smiles on the grandchildren’s faces, so that we could all just be together.

It’s not just about the presents, it’s about the Presence!

God had that very same desire. We were so very far away, but he was willing to make that  long and costly trip because he so wanted to be with us and have the joy of bringing us gifts.

And, oh, the gifts he brought all beautifully wrapped in his love - the joy, peace, strength and calm assurance. Every good and perfect gift that we would ever need all wrapped up in his Presence. He smiles when we open the gifts he came so far to bring. It brings him great joy when we abide in him. He himself, is the very best gift of all. He, himself is that good and perfect gift that came down from heaven.

Lord, you extended and expended yourself to give us the gift of yourself and along with your presence every good and perfect gift that we will ever need. Let us open and receive those gifts today and especially enjoy your Presence this Christmas time.  Thank you for coming all that way and paying the price so that we can have the extreme joy of being with you.

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down

from the Father of the heavenly lights.

James 1:17

He Came Down

 Though he was God,

he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to.

 Instead, he gave up his divine privileges,

he took the humble position of a slave

and was born as a human being.

Phil. 2:6-7

Lourdes, France

I was awestruck by all the beautiful cathedrals we saw recently as we traveled in France and Spain -  such amazing buildings!  Each and every city or small town had its impressive cathedral or stone church at the center.   Many years of painstaking work went into the creation of each intricate detail all beautifully hand done by accomplished craftsmen. All the elements, the spires pointing upward, the domes and arches, the pillars and carvings were designed to point the heart heavenward, to create a place of worship to the high and exalted God. Unfortunately, the beautiful altars were inaccessible to the people. Only the privileged clergy were allowed to enter there.

Altar in the Mezquita, Cordoba

Now at Christmas, I am reminded of a more excellent place of worship - a wooden feeding trough where a tiny baby lay.  How different to look upon our mighty God in the form of a helpless infant - the exalted One come down in all weakness and frailty to make himself accessible to all.

This is the true place of worship.  In the cathedral our eyes and hearts are lifted to thoughts of heaven, but we can never reach the heights.  But here, at the manger, our eyes and hearts see a God who in his mercy has brought all his glories down to us .

Oh God, how we worship you this Christmas season. We kneel before the infant, the innocent lamb with praise and worship in our hearts knowing that when we could not reach you, you reached down to us and now you will never leave us. Thank you for coming down so that we could be lifted high to you.

Good Gifts

Every good and perfect gift is from above,

 coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights. 

James 1:17

Peace

 Joy 

Mercy 

Compassion 

Companionship 

Presence

Incredible Gifts 

All these treasures hidden in Him - 

the Son given, the Baby born -

 Wonderful
 Marvelous One
 Counselor and Guide 

 Mighty God

Faithful Forever Father
 Prince of Peace 

Indescribable Gifts 

He

greatest gift of all 

gave His all so we might live
 and He forgive. 

In Him we have redemption 

the forgiveness of sins,

 new life.

A costly gift.  

He paid the price.

Inexpressible Gift 

Open the gift.

 Believe and receive.

Ask Him in.

The greatest gift of all.

Jesus

Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift! 

2 Cor. 9:15

Mary

 Mary as played by Keisha Castle-Hughes. The Nativity Story

 

 

And Mary said, "Behold the handmaid of the Lord;

be it unto me according to thy word."

Luke 1:38 (KJV)

I am struck by the beautiful response of Mary to the incredible news that she would become the mother of Jesus, the son of God - a startling and unbelievable word which she accepted, after a brief explanation, immediately and completely.  With incredible strength and determination she said, “Look at me. I am the Lord's servant. Let all that he said to me come true.” 

She becomes for us a picture of God's choice of the humble and lowly whose hearts are open to receive.  God delights in paradox.  In his kingdom up is down and down is up, the weak are strong, the poor are rich. And so the King of Kings was born not in a palace but in a stable to a humble peasant couple.  

When Mary visits her cousin Elizabeth, who is also miraculously pregnant, they rejoice together over the wonderful things that have happened.  Mary bursts out in a song praising the God who exalts the humble and brings down the proud. 

  

The Magnificat: Mary’s Song of Praise

“Oh, how my soul praises the Lord. 

  How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior! 

 For he took notice of his lowly servant girl, 

and from now on all generations will call me blessed. 

 For the Mighty One is holy, and he has done great things for me.   

 He shows mercy from generation to generation

to all who fear him.   

 His mighty arm has done tremendous things! 

He has scattered the proud and haughty ones.  

  He has brought down princes from their thrones

and exalted the humble. 

   He has filled the hungry with good things

and sent the rich away with empty hands. 

He has helped his servant Israel and remembered to be merciful.   

 For he made this promise to our ancestors, 

to Abraham and his children forever.”

Luke 1:46-55 (NLT)

The weak inherit and the strong lose out.  Those who are hungry, he fills. When we declare our low estate and trust God to fill us with good things, he comes in. Let us respond like Mary, “Here I am.  May all your desire for me come into being.”