Still Present

Still Present

John begins his gospel “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God… And the Word became flesh and lived among us.”  

Many years ago now, Paul and Joan McLain who were Presbyterian missionaries to Haiti, wrote a very moving newsletter that touched my heart. They were writing about the violence, and the desperation and the poverty they saw around them. And yet, they write:

“But Jesus Christ is present here. We have seen him… Jesus is present as Comfort when a family gathers closely around a young mother as she sheds quiet tears by the bedside of the child she birthed and now knows will die. Jesus is present as Healing in the hands of a missionary pediatrician doing a spinal tap… Jesus is present as Love when the carefully packed box of medications, disinfectants, and wound dressings arrives from a Presbyterian congregation in the United States…. And God is present as his word sparks and kindles the life of the Holy Spirit in the hearts of the Haitian people who need him so much.”

The promise of Christmas is not only that God stepped into this world in the person of Jesus of Nazareth but also that God has forever infused himself into the physicality of our world. 

If this is true, then think about how this changes everything – how this changes how we see the people and events around us, how we walk on this earth, how we treat our neighbors, and how we care for those in need. Christ is present, in and around us, even today.

I love how Eugene Peterson, in the Message Version, translates that verse in John:  

And the Word became flesh and blood and moved into the neighborhood.

In this Christmas season and in the year ahead, may God give you eyes to see Christ in the world and the people around you. May you experience his deep, healing love for you. And may you share that love with a world desperately in need. 

Let us pray: We remember today, that you so love the world that you gave your Son as a light to the world. Break into our lives anew, and help us to notice your unconditional love still at work in our lives and in the world around us. And then, Great God, empower us to be instruments of that same love, light, and grace all year long; through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Daily Message Author: Joe Albright

Joe began his ministry in Sarasota, Florida as an associate pastor, and it was in this capacity that he worked alongside the Reverend Dr. Roger Kunkel. Roger was a colleague who became a mentor and treasured friend. From Sarasota, Joe was called to Jacksonville, Florida where he served as the Head of Staff at Hodges Boulevard Presbyterian Church. Currently, Joe and his family worship and serve at Geneva Presbyterian Church in Switzerland, Florida. Full Bio

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