The Manifest Presence of God

Through our study in Colossians we learned about the power of Jesus.  He is the Creator and it is through him that all things are held together.  Jesus was with God and was God and through him all things were made.  We learn through God’s Word that God is omnipresent, meaning he is in all places at all times.  Though he is in all places at all times, there are times we find in Scripture that God’s presence is made known in miraculous ways.  This is known as the manifest presence of God.  It is seen when God walked with Adam and Eve in the garden.  When the people of Israel were leaving Egypt, God appeared as a fire at night and smoke during the day. God also appeared to Moses on Mt. Sinai.  At times in history God makes his presence known in remarkable ways.

This week we begin a study in Isaiah entitled “Rend the Heavens”.  The question I want us asking ourselves every week is, “Why do we settle for the omnipresence of God when God wants us to experience the manifest presence of God?”  The greatest example of the manifest presence of God is found in the birth of Jesus.  John 1:14 says, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”  Jesus is called Immanuel, which means God with us.  Through Jesus we can experience the manifest presence of the almighty God. When Jesus was born and placed in a manger it was more than just a miraculous birth of an important man.  It was the presence of God stepping out of heaven to be with us.  Let us not miss the manifest presence of God during the busy Christmas season.