This past Sunday the phrase that stuck with me from the sermon was, "Christ was present." Jesus was in the midst of the people and disciples after his resurrection. He was not a ghost. He was there, alive and well.
Before he returned to the Father he promised that he would be with us until the end of the age.
That means Christ is present even now.
The problem is that I often do not have the eyes to see it.
I see what is missing or what is going wrong. I see how our world is spinning out of control; how lack of work hours chisels away at a financial buffer; how gas prices are taking their toll; how health insurance makes no sense to me; how injustice is done upon the weakest.
But Jesus is present.
After reading the blog of a world-traveling friend, I see Jesus present in the hunger that people have for God's word in a country where it is forbidden. From another blog I see Jesus alive and present in helping a friend adapt to life in a new country. And more personally, I saw Jesus present in helping me find some misplaced important documents; in two bags of great hand-me-downs for Max; in a stocked fridge and freezer at very little cost to us at just the right time; in rain and sun that are helping our little garden grow; in being able to pay bills; in Joey getting his last 3 credits.
Some things seem very insignificant, but life is made up of the basic and insignificant.
And Jesus is present even (or maybe especially) in the insignificant.
I pray for the eyes to see and a heart to receive in thankfulness how the present Christ manifests himself on a daily basis here in Columbia and in the smallest darkest corner around the world.
Christ Is Present.
Before he returned to the Father he promised that he would be with us until the end of the age.
That means Christ is present even now.
The problem is that I often do not have the eyes to see it.
I see what is missing or what is going wrong. I see how our world is spinning out of control; how lack of work hours chisels away at a financial buffer; how gas prices are taking their toll; how health insurance makes no sense to me; how injustice is done upon the weakest.
But Jesus is present.
After reading the blog of a world-traveling friend, I see Jesus present in the hunger that people have for God's word in a country where it is forbidden. From another blog I see Jesus alive and present in helping a friend adapt to life in a new country. And more personally, I saw Jesus present in helping me find some misplaced important documents; in two bags of great hand-me-downs for Max; in a stocked fridge and freezer at very little cost to us at just the right time; in rain and sun that are helping our little garden grow; in being able to pay bills; in Joey getting his last 3 credits.
Some things seem very insignificant, but life is made up of the basic and insignificant.
And Jesus is present even (or maybe especially) in the insignificant.
I pray for the eyes to see and a heart to receive in thankfulness how the present Christ manifests himself on a daily basis here in Columbia and in the smallest darkest corner around the world.
Christ Is Present.
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