Presence - 24th Day of Advent

I'm going to paraphrase and take an idea from Darrell Elmer Rodgers, who has posted about the concept of Christmas Presence a couple of times.  There are times when you see the absolute beauty around you, and know that you are in the presence of God.  The challenge here is to know you are in the Presence of God in the not so beautiful - in the stable (not known for their cleanliness) where a little baby was born, in the feet of a homeless man, in the oncology ward of the hospital - in the places where you don't think to even look for God.  It is that presence that we feel now through the Holy Spirit that first came to us with Christ's birth.  


When people get so involved in the Christmas presents and the wrappings and the things of Christmas, it's up to us, as Christians, to help people remember the truly important Christmas Presence - we are being given the chance at eternal life and through Christ, we are adopted into the holy family of God.  

So today's challenge is both a moving meditation, and the Activity of the Day.  Go to visit a homeless shelter, and just talk to people - both the homeless themselves, and those who work with them.  Or go visit at the hospital - ask for someone who doesn't get a lot or any visitors, that you might sit and read to them, or just sit and get to know them.  Or go to a mortuary - talk to a mortician - find out why they do their job, and if they feel the Presence of God in what they do, providing final closure for families, respecting the last physical aspect of a body, knowing that God has already got the important parts taken care of.  

Find the Christmas Presence in unexpected places.  And thank God for His presence, everywhere.