Unwrapping Presence
As a high schooler, nothing beat that two-week Christmas break. My memory, faulty as it might be, recalls days of endless sled riding, video gaming, cookie consuming, and napping. Absolute bliss, in heaven as it is on earth for a 16-year-old boy.
I expected to feel some envy, even nostalgia, over our high schoolers’ Christmas Break. Surprisingly, it’s just not the same anymore. The simplicity of those carefree days has given way to the rush of modern life. They’re no less overscheduled than their parents are.
Was this pace of life inevitable or self-inflicted?
The New Year is a season of reflection. Yet, reflection feels less natural than ever. We work endlessly on things and then immediately turn the corner to the next thing.
In September of this year, Becky Medley and I outlined our ideas and ministry vision together. This is an exciting time, a kickoff to the school year! However, it felt flat and monotonous this time around. We couldn’t figure out why. Then we realized that we had never commemorated the success of the summer. We had an amazing summer across the board, one you can read about here. Yet, we never celebrated this; we just went to the next thing.
Have we slowed down and celebrated what God is doing in our lives? Or are we just moving onto the next thing?
New Year's Eve prompts us to look forward, but perhaps we need to spend equal time reflecting on where we have been.
Consider what the angel tells Mary when she is pregnant:
“Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’” Matthew 1:23 NLT
God is with us. Whether we're relaxing or rushing, planning or unplanned, parents or teens, He is ever-present. In the rush of life, we are not waiting on God’s presence; He is waiting on our presence. How can I look ahead to what God has planned unless I can see where He has been? God is consistent.
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” Hebrews 13:8 NLT
Make your resolutions. Get excited about 2024. But don’t rush. God might be up to things in your life, too. God is with us in 2024, and He was with us in 2023.
What does it look like to commemorate God’s presence in your life?
What does it like to anticipate God’s presence in your life?
On Sunday, December 31, I’m preaching on this idea, and we’d love to see you there. Let’s end this year with worship, fellowship, and time in God’s Word.