From The Pastor’s Pen – By Brian Horrobin
Okay, so now we’re four days into a new year and you’re wondering how this year might be different from the last.
As you contemplate the array of gifts that were opened over Christmas was there one that will truly make a difference in your life this year?
Or put another way, is there a gift you could have given that would have lasting impact all year long?
Could it be… the gift of your presence?
A number of years ago my youngest son had a birthday and opted out of the usual ‘stuff’ gift.
Instead, he wanted to be taken out for chicken wings and then a movie afterward.
We often knock ourselves out trying to find that perfect gift when in reality, personal time spent with the one we love is so much better.
The Bible says in Psalm 50:10 that every beast in the field is the Lord’s, as well as the cattle on a thousand hills.
You may not be in the market for a bunch of cows right now, but uninterrupted, personal time spent with someone is a precious gift that is getting more and more rare today.
We can text, leave voicemail, email, send Facebook messages, and tweet until our cell phones die, and still never see or speak to the person we are communicating with.
But spending time together sends a different message.
It says, in effect, “I have time for you, and you are important to me.”
One on one time takes a greater commitment, but the investment is worth it in the end.
As we set out on this year ahead, let’s decide that we will also give the gift of our presence in 2026.
