Day #358 - Christmas Eve

The Presence - A Devotional for living in Thanksgiving, Worship and Wonder

“So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born,”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭2:4-6‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Photo by Jan Romero on Unsplash

Was it hard for you to sleep on Christmas Eve growing up?

I had a hard time falling asleep growing up on Christmas Eve. I was so exited. It’s the same for our children. There is so much anticipation for gifts on Christmas morning. To be so close to Christmas but still have to wait feels like torture to most children.

I wonder how often in life we don’t realize how close we are to God manifesting in our life in a great way. Of course Mary and Joseph knew that Mary could give birth soon but the world was about to change and no one barely knew what was taking place. Mary and Joseph were just one day away from the greatest event in human history. The prophecies of old were finally about to be fulfilled and the wait would be over. The Messiah was about to be born.

Sometimes when “the Presence” of God doesn’t seem to be manifest and we are waiting for Him to show up in our lives, just wait a little longer and He’s about to show up. Mary and Joseph were going about their normal business to register for the census at the time and didn’t know that their obedience to what could feel like mundane government orders was setting them up to fulfill prophecy about where the Messiah was born.

God gets us where we need to be for His presence and work to manifest in our lives. He can show up anywhere and anytime. He accomplishes His purposes in our lives when we are often unaware. I think people count God out at times and they are just one day away from a breakthrough.

Don’t try and discern God’s will by how spiritual you feel or how great your surroundings are. Don’t count God out while you are waiting for His promise. Don’t measure your spirituality by how much you feel God’s presence. Obey Him in the small things and keep a posture of trust. One more day and everything can change.

Lord Jesus, sometimes I am going through the motions of life and I fail to recognize how you are about manifest. Let me be aware of Your presence. Let me not give up or lose heart when I am waiting for You. You are worth the wait. In Your name, amen.