Advent is a time of celebrating the first and second coming of God with us. After all, one of the names of Jesus is Emmanuel. As I have been reflecting on life recently, I have come to a new appreciation of the power and hope of God with us...especially with ME! Like so many people I am often so very guilty of living my life under the guise of my own agenda, needs, desires, and plans. Yet God wants to be involved with me every single moment of every single day. No decision, no thought that I have escapes his attention. So why do I so often miss that God is with me?
Simply put, God is there, but he does not force his way into my thoughts, attentions or life. He loves me enough to give me the ability to choose.
I stumbled across this thought today in my devotional.
He [God] comes only through doors that are purposely opened for
Him. A person may live as near to God as the bubble is to the ocean and yet
not find him. He may be "closer than breathing, nearer than hands or feet" and
still be missed.
Rufus M. Jones The Double Search
quoted in A Guide to Prayer, Shawchuck and Job, p. 21
I have been thinking about that this morning. How often do we miss the blessing that comes with being a follower of Emmanuel because we do not stop to recognize his blessed presence with us?
I pray that this advent season will be a time of God's presence touching your life in tangible and powerful ways.
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