Beyond the Season of Presents: Living in His Presence

The holiday season just passed, with all its trappings of gift-giving, shopping frenzies, and the inevitable post-Christmas returns. We navigate the complexities of choosing the right presents, worrying about sizes and preferences, and fighting crowds—or more likely these days, befriending our delivery drivers. But what if there's a more important kind of presence we should be focusing on? Not presents with a T-S ending, but presence with a C-E ending—the presence of God in our daily lives.

Churches across the nation invest millions in lighting effects, graphics, sound systems, and elaborate productions. Some congregations put on Christmas spectaculars featuring over a thousand volunteers, hundreds of costumes, live animals, and even "baby Jesus tryouts." The stated goal? To invite God's presence into the worship space.

But here's a humbling truth: we don't actually invite God into our churches. He's already there.

Jesus promised in Matthew 18:20 that "where two or three are gathered together in my name, I will be in the midst of them." The moment we gather, God is present. We don't need smoke machines, perfect lighting, or Broadway-level productions to make Him show up. He's faithful to His promise.

So if all that production isn't for God, who is it for? It's for us.

Revelation describes Jesus standing at the door and knocking, promising that if anyone hears His voice and opens the door, He will come in. But He's not talking about church doors or front doors to our homes. He's talking about the door to our hearts.

All the beautiful music, inspiring messages, and atmospheric elements serve one purpose: to help us open that inner door. They're designed to quiet our minds and soften our hearts so we can truly feel and experience the presence that's already surrounding us.

The challenge is that we come to worship already loaded down. We carry our burdens, anger, drama, and distractions with us like heavy luggage. And then there's the literal baggage—our purses filled with phones and all the noise of the world. We bring everything into the space meant for meeting God.

Dogs have something to teach us. When they come in from the rain or snow, soaked and cold, they instinctively shake it all off. They don't carry that burden with them into the warm house. They shed it at the threshold.

What if we could do the same? What if we could shake off the drama, the worries, the anger, and the distractions before we try to worship? What if we could leave all that weight in the parking lot and come into God's presence unburdened and ready?

Psalm 139 beautifully captures the omnipresence of God: "Where can I go from your spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there. If I make my bed in the depths, you are there." God is everywhere, always accessible. But experiencing His presence requires something from us—we need to move closer to Him.

James 4:8 puts it simply: "Come near to God and He will come near to you." If we're not feeling God's presence, maybe it's not God who needs to move. Maybe we need to examine what we're holding onto so tightly that we can't fully surrender to His presence.

There's an old hymn that declares, "Standing on the promises of Christ my King, through eternal ages let his praises ring." The verses speak of prevailing through the living Word, standing in the liberty where Christ makes free, and overcoming daily with the Spirit's sword.

That phrase "overcoming daily" is crucial. This isn't a Sunday-only battle. We need God's presence not just for an hour in a sanctuary, but everywhere we go, every day. The challenges to our faith are far greater outside the church walls than within them.

Everyone experiences and responds to God's presence differently, and that's perfectly fine. Some people are demonstrative in worship; others are contemplative. Some raise their hands; others bow their heads. Some close their eyes; others look upward. There's no right or wrong way—it's a personal relationship, not a cookie-cutter formula.

The important thing is that we do worship. We give God the glory and praise He deserves. We acknowledge His worthiness and express our love for Him. We let Him know we want His presence in our lives.

But here's where it gets really important: once we experience God's presence, we can't keep it to ourselves. Matthew 5:14-16 reminds us that we are the light of the world, and lights aren't meant to be hidden under bowls. They're meant to shine so others can see.

When God's presence fills our hearts, we become His presence to those who don't yet know Him. We carry His light into a dark world. And yes, that can feel uncomfortable. Sharing our faith isn't always easy.

But we don't go alone. Isaiah 41:10 promises: "Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you." Deuteronomy 31:6 encourages us to "be strong and courageous" because "the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you."

Here's the profound truth: When His presence is in your presence, you become His presence for those who don't know or have His presence.

God is always there for us, faithfully present in every circumstance, every location, every moment of our lives. The question is: are we there for Him? Are we opening the door of our hearts? Are we shaking off the burdens that keep us from experiencing Him fully? Are we taking His presence out into a world that desperately needs to know His grace?

The season of wrapped presents has passed, but the season of living in His presence never ends. It's an everyday invitation to walk closely with the One who promises never to leave us or forsake us. It's an opportunity to experience the peace, strength, and joy that come from resting in our Savior as our all in all.

The challenge before us is simple but profound: let's make sure we're truly present with the One who is always present with us. And then, let's take that presence and make heaven crowded.