Christmas Presence

It was a dark night during a short-term mission trip to Panama. Our small group of adults and teens were getting ready to bed down for the night in a mountain village...and I use the term village loosely. The men were in the back of the army-surplus truck we had used to get there, and the women were on the dirt floor of the central shelter used for communal cooking...and I use the term shelter loosely.

The tall, red-haired missionary we were working with tapped me on the shoulder and said, "Follow me."

Before I knew it, I was on the tail end of a group of three Norte Americanos being led single file on a winding path by a young adult Panamanian woman who had said she wanted us to pray for her sick father.

You should know that the whole conflict with Noriega and drug-trafficking wasn't that old of news at this point, and the thought did cross my mind that I might not be heading back to the village that night all in one piece.

But my fears were groundless. We soon reached a small lean-to of a hut, lit only by a tiny, clay, oil lamp. It only took the four of us, the sick father, and our guide's mother to fill the tiny space. And yet, when we started to pray, the space was filled even more...the Spirit of Peace and Truth came and rested upon us all.

Truth is...even while I was experiencing this, I was reminded of another simple structure, probably lit by a very similar lamp, that was also filled with a very special presence. Emmanuel: God With Us. He came to Earth knowing full well that he would not be returning home unscathed.

In the midst of the presents this year, may you also experience His presence.