I was roaming the aisles of HomeGoods, looking for the kind of placemats that you can wipe off – a requirement in my household of unnamed messy crumb-creators. But my eyes landed instead on the glittery Christmas decorations that lined the shelves. This was so much better than placemats. And look over here – don’t I need Christmas hand soap? And dog toys for my doodle’s stocking? Oh, the joy I felt as I found so many “needs.”
And then I got back in my car. I buckled my seatbelt. And a song came on that pierced through the post-HomeGoods-endorphin high and took me to the feet of Jesus. The manufactured Christmas shine and sparkle were replaced by His real presence, right there in the parking lot. With my eyes closed, the engine idling, I thanked God for meeting me inside the quiet of my car.
And then I felt His reminder: Jesus was there, with me, in both places.
As we wander the aisles and peruse the shelves of December, with all of its beautiful offerings, what if we can remember that God is with us? Not on the shelf, but in the aisle, right there next to us?
As we cross off the lists, light the candles, and fit in our (wonderful) traditions, we are already with Him. He is already with us.
He came. He is coming again. And He is already here.
I want to invite Him into all of my December days and hold that sweet, constant awareness that He is already here. I want to remember His with-ness in HomeGoods and in the hallways of my home.
How do we stay mindful that He is always with us? In ways that won’t add more to our plates in these busy weeks?
If God is always with us, but sometimes we don’t feel close to Him, it isn’t because He moved. We can close the gap by seeking God in small, simple ways. Here are three ways we can find Jesus and enjoy His with-ness this Christmas (without adding more to your calendar!):
To begin our days, we can invite God into the slower places and pauses in our mornings. Where can you seek God’s presence before your day begins?
Practical ways to lean into God’s presence in the morning:
Greet God before your feet even hit the floor.
While your coffee is brewing, pause and invite Him into your day.
Say a prayer over your day while you brush your teeth.
Pray in the same spot every day on your drive to work or school drop-off.
As a prompt, place an index card with a scripture or a prayer next to your coffee maker or on your bathroom mirror. Integrating simple rhythms during your normal routine will help you sense and remember His with-ness.
Most of our days bring a natural transition in activity where we can find a moment to recalibrate with God. Where might you already have a moment or regular rhythm in your day that could also become space for a quiet conversation with God?
Practical ways to pause in the middle of your day:
At lunch, while you prepare your plate, invite God into any questions you’re holding and listen for Him to speak into anything that occupies your attention.
Take a quick walk mid-afternoon to clear your mind. Choose and dwell on a scripture verse. Ask God to speak through the verse you choose.
If you have a mid-afternoon coffee or Diet Coke break, add time to that pause to talk with God.
During your child’s nap time, step outside for a moment to breathe and connect with God. Practice a breath prayer with a scripture verse to recenter your heart on Jesus. Inhale: You are already with me. Exhale: And I invite you into what I hold.
As we go through our days, we can become so fully engaged in our work or other commitments that seeking God in between meetings might escape us, despite our best intentions. At the end of our days, we can make it a practice to look backwards, to see where God was.
Practical ways to look for where God already is:
During dinner, pause and reflect on where God showed up in your day.
Pray with your children and ask them to name where they saw God today.
As you settle in for sleep, but before you close your eyes, ask God to show you where He was with you in the day’s activities.
Keep a journal by your bed and jot down any thoughts that come to mind about how God was with you this day.
When we ask God to reveal where He was in our day, we begin to see Him everywhere – in both the big things and in the smallest. The more we implement this practice, the more we’ll also discover that we see Him more throughout our days. Our awareness of God’s presence grows.
That God is always with us is truly a gift. Jesus said, “It is better for you that I go, so that the Helper may come.” (John 16:7) His presence with us now is not simply a placeholder between Jesus’ birth and His second coming – His spirit is a gift that guides, changes, sustains, equips, and strengthens us now. May we be ever mindful of how very close He is.
“And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” – Matthew 28:20b