Remembering Jesus in the past and experiencing Him in the present are both vital to true Christianity. Jesus told His disciples that He would be in them and remain in them, but He also told them to remember Him. Why? We need to remember His life in the flesh so that we aren’t misled about who He is. Yet, we also need to continually experience His presence in our daily lives so that we’re empowered to hear and obey Him.

Advent services show that churches are good at remembering Jesus in the past. Many churches prominently display these words: “This do in remembrance of Me.” However, churches shy away from encouraging and empowering people to experience and obey Jesus in worship services and in their daily lives.

It’s fine to celebrate
Jesus’ birth in the past
And to look forward to
His coming in the future
But let’s also wake up to
His presence in the present!

Remembrance
Of Jesus
Without the experience
Of His presence
In daily life
Is incomplete!

I remember Jesus when I read the Gospels (or the Christmas story). I experience Him when I freely surrender my will to His. Remembering Jesus’ physical life in the past should never be an excuse for ignoring His presence in the now!

Advent season? If Christ is with us, we don’t need to prepare for His arrival. We need to wake up to His presence.

True Christianity isn’t seasonal. It causes people to focus on and interact with the presence of the living Jesus 24/7/365!

People don’t prepare for the arrival of a guest who’s staying in their home. They interact with Him. Christ is already present! Church has trained us to view Jesus through ritualized and formalized eyes so that now we don’t realize His glory in daily life.

Jesus’ birth was the never-ending beginning of God with us. You don’t have to find Him in Bethlehem. He’ll meet you where you are.

Advent is a great time to awaken to Christ’s always abiding with us. His radiance remains throughout the years to reside in us, revive us, and restore us. Its efficacy has not been overcome! Keep Christ’s eternal light ever in your sight!

Remembering the birth of Christ should be a wake-up call, not a snooze button! At Christmas Jesus’ birth is seen as sweet but that’s not how King Herod and the people of Jerusalem saw it. They were “disturbed!” True grace ignores your “Do Not Disturb” sign and confronts you with truth.

When Jesus came
And comes again
Are both beyond
My experience.
But His presence now–
Wow! Wow! Wow!–
Somehow
Fills
And thrills
My heart
With His glory!

Gratitude,
Gratitude,
Re-gratitude
Until it becomes
An ongoing cycle
In your heart
And in your mind.