Presents are nearly synonymous with Christmas in our culture. It’s embarrassing to admit that last Christmas we had a total of three present exchanges in our family. On Christmas day we gathered with my mother and father in law to exchange presents. The next day we loaded up the car and drove to my parent’s house where my older sister joined us for exchange number two. Then two days after that, my younger sister and her husband joined us and we had exchange number three.
Sometimes I wonder if in the midst of so many presents, we miss the true present of Christmas.
After we returned home from my parent’s house following the New Year we put all our stuff away, plopped down on the couch and breathed a sigh. It was then that Carolyn noticed the small bag tucked behind one of the chairs in our living room. It must have gotten pushed back there by all the other presents and we missed it in our rush to leave for my parent’s house.
She pulled it out and said, “Oh! Look we missed a Christmas present!”
The holiday season isn’t exactly a good time to suggest people stop, slow down and spend a little more time on self-reflection. Perhaps this year’s economic slow-down will help create that space. In any event, if we don’t attempt to push back on the rush of this season we are likely to miss the most important present of all – God’s presence among us in Jesus Christ.
Over the next four weeks of Advent I’ll be sharing some thoughts to help us stop, put aside our lists, take a breath and pay attention to the gift of Jesus – the greatest present. I’ll be writing around the theme: “God’s Future in the Present.” I like the play on words in this theme. It is through Jesus (the greatest present) that we get a glimpse of God’s future right now (in the present). Think about that for a moment!
Jesus is God’s answer for a world that is broken, fearful, at war, in economic crisis, and desperately lonely. God has a vision for how to rescue this world from this brokenness. That vision is God’s future and God’s future is wrapped up in Jesus. As you pause to receive this greatest present, you will begin to glimpse God’s future in the present.
Among all the other gifts you receive this Christmas, don’t miss this one.
