Dear fellow leaders,
The longer I walk with Jesus (and I just celebrated my 35th spiritual birthday on December 1), the more persuaded I am of the fact that at the center of my spiritual progress is the lived experience of the presence of God, and the lived priority of making myself present to Him. David declares in the Psalms (Psalm 16:11) that it is in God’s presence where he experiences “fullness of joy,” and at God’s right hand – right next to God – where “pleasures forever” are to be most fully experienced. And it was when Mary merely sat at Jesus’ feet (John 10:38-42) – when she was simply absorbed in Jesus’ presence, and had made herself fully present to Him – that He declared her to have chosen “the good part.”
At Christmastime, the true center of our celebration is the presence of God in Christ – the “withness” of God among us through the virgin’s child, Immanuel. While our family and cultural traditions lead us to be absorbed with the giving and receiving of presents, which indeed bring with them certain joys and graces, the true focus of the season nonetheless belongs on presence – the presence of God among us, and the grace of making ourselves present to Him as He dwells in our midst.
All of you are busy, engaged people who serve and lead others, and who seek to embody Jesus in your own groups, families, and communities. But as your fellow leader and pilgrim, let me encourage you this year to make Christmas all about presence – make it a habit in the coming weeks to turn off the radio in the car, to even in the midst of malls and parties and late nights wrapping presents and cooking turn yourselves toward God and gaze upon Him. Through His presence He is always yet again giving Himself to us, and offers us the joy and freedom of our giving the gift of our own presence yet again to Him, as well.
Similarly, seek not merely to be with your families and friends this Christmas in distractedness and bustle, but pause to truly focus on the sacred gift of the people God has made present to you, while also giving the sacred gift of your own attentive presence to each of them. It is in these ways that we most fully receive what God has given to us – both through His own presence and that of others – and most fully give ourselves to Him, and to the people He surrounds us with.
Finally, may simple quiet moments of presence fill your Christmas with a true “fullness of joy,” and may you and your families enjoy the pleasures of God this season, and in the New Year, in fullest measure.
Sincere thanks to all of you for another year of leadership! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
With respect and affection,
Andy Saperstein, Pastor of Community Life