Day 4: Presence

Presence. We’ve lost it. But we can get it back.

Of course, we can remind ourselves of Jesus and his powerful ability to be fully present with those around him. We can take cues from his life and see just how powerful presence can be.

Take the woman at the well (John 4:1–26). Jesus had just shown up in Samaria and was exhausted. So he decided to sit by a well. Samaritans and Jews traditionally had some animosity between them. When a Samaritan woman approached, it would have been easy and understandable in that culture and time for Jesus to avoid engaging with her at any level.

But he broke all social barriers and initiated a conversation with this woman. He asked for a drink. He listened intently and without judgment as she told of her struggles. He absolutely shocked her with his knowledge of her life situation, which was not only a miracle but also an expression of care for what she was going through. And then he offered her living water symbolizing spiritual fulfillment. The woman took off, leaving her water jug, to tell her community about the life-changing conversation she had just had with a fully present Jesus.

In fact, Jesus made a habit of being fully present with people that hardly anybody wanted to be present with. His interaction with Zacchaeus the tax collector is another great example. Zacchaeus was up in a tree looking at Jesus when Jesus did a very present thing. . . . Long story short, Jesus’ presence with Zacchaeus changed his entire life (Luke 19:1–10). After a career characterized by greed and dishonesty, he ended up pledging to give half of his possessions to the poor and to repay everyone he’d ever cheated.

That is some radical transformation that happened simply because of presence.

Our presence has the ability to change not only our lives but the lives of others. I want some more of that, please. That life-changing presence.

So be free of the presence trap that is our phones and their constant notifications. You could change another’s life—someone that you might not even notice if you weren’t looking up.

Prayer

Lord, I realize I have missed so many things because I have failed to be present. Please help me focus on being present, and please let my presence point others to you. Amen.