The importance of presence

God has made it clear that the Church is the Body of His Son Jesus. That we are connected through His blood. That I am supernaturally linked to NOT ONLY disciples across the world, but also disciples that have passed away and that are yet to be born. What a profound truth!

But I also know that (from reading and studying Paul's Mission, desires and experiences) that the local congregation is EXTREMELY vital to the health of the overall Church...

I think that there is an obvious disconnect with typed word. The Greater aspects of communication are lost...things like: Eye contact, body language, tone of voice/volume, facial expressions, even different types of slang.. all are the ingredients to sincere and healthy human relationships. Written word is hardly better, but written word has a very unique and mysterious way of pulling the personality of the author to the paper. Writing something out and typing it is separated by a vast chasm. Worlds apart from each other.. yet both fail immeasurably when compared to face-to-face interaction.

The way technology is providing quicker, easier ways to link with other people is INSANE. Almost impossible, yet here we are. But I wouldn't call it real communication. I wouldn't call it human connection. I would call it a different word.. probably one I'd have to make up to properly describe. But I can think of possible synonyms... confusion, deceit, hypocrisy, cowardice, mechanical, robotic...

And now it seems that the Church has fully given itself over to this mainstream trend...

Online church? Texts? Emails? Twitter? Podcasts? Facebook? Myspace? Don't get me wrong, these aren't terrible things in themselves..it is our use of them that makes them terrible, just like sex and guns. Yet, all are lacking one thing. The same 'one' thing. The most important thing..because without this one thing, you have lost the most beautiful piece to the relationship puzzle.

Presence.

Do you see it now? Do you get it? Your presence alone speaks louder than ANYTHING else. Even in silence, you being found in the same place physically with someone else is the key ingredient to Godly relationship/connection/intimacy (i.e. The Church). It is our presence, along with the presence of other Christ followers in worship, prayer, baptism, small groups, teaching, evangelizing, etc etc etc THAT turns the world upside down.. (When two or more are gathered together in my Name, there am I with them... ring any bells?)

But how often do we 'gather' in His Name? We are lost in metal, plastic and wiring..


If you disagree, then seek this out through Scripture, because what I read is that when the Law was read to King Josiah, he was cut to his heart and mandated the whole nation of Israel to follow God's decrees.. and that was just the "written" Law.

But..

then Christ came. The Word was with God and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning...

God...

became...

Present.

It was no longer words in a Book, even as powerful as it was and is, it still was only a shadow compared to the Presence in which it represented.

And now, because of His sacrifice, that Presence is in us.

When we stand with our friends, the Presence is there.

When we sit at a movie, the Presence is there.

When we get frustrated with people in traffic, the Presence is there.

When we hold grudges towards other people, the Presence is there.

When we gossip about our 'friends', the Presence is there.

When we see someone all alone, the Presence is there.

When we are texting someone when people are physically around us, the Presence is there.

The Presence is Light, Love, Truth, Hope, Joy, Peace, Forgiveness, Healing, Restoration, Grace...

The Presence is God.

Now..here comes our dilemma..The Presence is separated from the people that need Him the most because of our choices.

How tragic...

Because, according to Gods plan, it is our choice whether to reveal the Presence, which can only be done if WE ARE PRESENT.

Being present means looking someone in the eye, speaking with them, not interrupting, really listening, responding, facing them, ignoring texts/phone calls, etc...

So the Presence is shown when we choose to be present...

And the kicker?

That the Presence is made more clear to us when we choose to make it more clear to others!

Crazy, huh?

So think about where you are now. Whether at school, in your room, in your office, at the library, or wherever...The Presence is there because you are there..

But the real question is...

Are you present?