As you 'go in and out' this holiday season

The fifth section of this week's Bible Lesson on God, the preserver of man, contains two ideas I especially love and appreciate this time of year.

The first is God's assurance to Moses, "My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest." (Ex 33:14.  Isn't that just what we all want to be assured of during the holiday hustle and bustle. In all the shopping and baking and wrapping and visiting and watching of Christmas specials we can rest in the fact that God is right there with us. Just substitute 'presents' for 'presence' and see how God is giving us the gifts of grace and patience and generosity and forgiveness...all the qualities we reflect as His own image and likeness, to get us gracefully though this holiday season...and every day all year long. His presence and His presents are with us at all times and under all circumstances.

The second is from Psalm 121:8, "The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore."  I don't know about you but I seem to be doing a lot of going out and coming in right now!  We had a family meeting last night and it is amazing how many things are on the schedule for the next few weeks, many of them away from home supporting the 'grands' in their school programs and celebrating Christmas with family and co-workers. Lots of coming and going. But right in the midst of that there is peace in knowing that God is with us and preserving the harmony of all these events.

Mrs. Eddy writes: "God is everywhere, and nothing apart from Him is present or has power." (S&H 473)  This eliminates any reason to feel stressed, distracted, put upon, unhappy, or ill. God, good, fills all space....ALL space...so there is no being outside of that protecting Love, no outside where something can be lurking and trying to gain entrance to our peace and calm. ALL space is already filled with goodness and love.

She also writes: "All that God imparts moves in accord with Him, reflecting goodness and power." (S&H 515)  This is just what we all need as we move about on our errands or as we are moved by compassion to buy that extra gift or make a donation of time or money. We are moving in accord with divine Love and that can never result in sore muscles or strained feelings or empty pockets.

Any circumstance that arises and seems like a 'Red Sea' blocking our progress can part before us through His grace and we can go right through it without anything sticking to our feet. Any time we are tempted to believe we are in a 'wilderness' experience, without a right idea, or without a friend, separated from someone, alone and without support, we can see that God is actually right there with us as a beacon of light to lead the way through.

So go 'in and out' today confident that His presence and His presents are with you.