A few days ago I received an e-mail from a pastor in Florida, following a recent renewal weekend held in Titusville.  He wrote:

“I just heard a lady on our local Christian radio station speaking about the Prayer Summit so I thought I would drop you a line and pass on her comments. She said she had never experienced anything like it before in her life. This is the first time that she actually experienced the presence of God and it was powerful. She said she would never be the same as a result.”

Of course, I was deeply encouraged by the testimony of this unnamed caller.  I am sure she also blessed others as she shared her experience with listeners.

On the other hand, I find it quite interesting that so many believers, like this lady, have a genuine void in their sense of experiencing the presence of Christ in their lives.  It is so easy for all of us to go through our days with a dutiful commitment to Christian doctrine and behavior, yet not enjoy a powerful sense of His presence.

The Christmas Promise for Those who Believe

At this Christmas season, we must embrace the message delivered to Joseph in the days before the birth of Christ.  Quoting the prophet Isaiah, the angel declared, “So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: ‘Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,’ which is translated, ‘God with us’“ (Matthew 1:22-23).  Jesus is the manifestation of God’s fullness (Colossians 1:19 & 2:9) and His finished work on the cross made it possible for His presence to live in and among us in a personal and permanent fashion.  We have become His temple, individually (1 Corinthians 6:19) and collectively (1 Corinthians 3:16-17; Ephesians 2:21) as the church.  Truly God is “with us” because of Jesus.

The Compelling Reality of God’s People

To better understand the issue of God’s presence among men, let’s make a quick review of this doctrine.  First, there is the fact of God’s GENERAL presence.  The Bible speaks of His omnipresence in passages like Psalm 139, where the writer affirms that he cannot go anywhere in the universe apart from God’s presence (Psalm 139:7-10).  Second, there is the truth of God’s PERSONAL presence, revealed to us through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, made possible through the finished work of Christ, our Immanuel.  Third, there is the reality of God’s MANIFEST presence, when God’s glory is revealed in an unusual way.  This was seen in the Old Testament through the “shekinah” of God in the cloud by day, the fire by night, and the holy manifestation of God’s presence in the temple.

In a New Testament sense, this is this idea of Christ living in the fullness of His power in the believer and among His people.  The doctrine of “glory” really represents this idea.   I define the New Testament doctrine of glory as “the magnification of the person of Christ by His people and the manifestation of the presence of Christ among His people."

When presenting the Gospel message to the crowd in Acts 3, Peter described this good news as “times of refreshing” that would come from “the presence of the Lord” (Acts 3:19).  Christ wants to fill the church with His glory (Ephesians 3:20).  We are all invited to experience His presence “with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord” so that we will be “transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord” (2 Corinthians 3:18).  When this occurs in a context of biblical worship, unbelievers in our midst are captivated and exclaim, “God is truly among you” (1 Corinthians 14:25).

The Call to Draw Near

While our sense of the presence of Christ cannot be reduced to some occasional feeling, we must truly experience this presence in real and powerful ways.  Otherwise, we have reduced “Immanuel” to a theological principle and a historical religious figure.  Like the Florida caller, many of us do not experience His presence as we should.  Why was her experience so powerful during our Prayer Summit?  How can you understand and sense the power of Immanuel this Christmas?

Psalm 145:18 says, “The LORD is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth.”  James 4:8 elaborates: “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”  Hebrews 10:19-22 speaks of the boldness with which we can “enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus,” inviting us to “draw near with full assurance of faith."

The call to Christmas is a call to “draw near.”  I often say, “The Lord is always glad to oblige when we give Him our undivided attention.”  Jim Cymbala notes, “The main thing God asks for is our attention.”  The Florida group drew near to Christ over several days – worshiping earnestly, reading His Word, and calling out to Him in extended, focused fashion.  They sought Christ with sincerity, repentance, faith, and passionate love.  He drew near with His gracious, transforming, and holy presence.

The Present of Presence

This Christmas we do not want to miss the best present of His manifest presence.  We do not want to be like the religious people of the Old and New Testaments who drew near with their mouths but whose hearts were far from God (Matthew 15:8).  Busyness, distraction, and apathy will keep us from the fullness of Immanuel.

Take time to give Him your time and attention – beyond the common presentations and church services of the season.  Carve out quality time to really draw near to Immanuel.

Remember, “it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6).  Enjoy the gift of His presence as you seek the face of the Christ of Christmas.