This week's Manna - The Gift of Presence
by Rev. TJ Lucas
Sunday Sermon Summary
Faith is not an institution of perfection. It is a sacred space where we are invited to do deep, reflective work within ourselves and among one another.
If you were to ask me about this past year, I feel like God has truly refined me in the fires. It has been a season of deep spiritual, physical, and mental anguish. I acknowledge that I have not always been my very best self, and I want to express my deep gratitude to those who have persevered with me through it. Admitting your humanity is hard when you're a pastor. So often, people want their leaders to have it all together, and seeing flaw or weakness can feel off-putting.
Yet, I believe deeply that when God leads us into hard seasons, it isn't meant for self-punishment—it is an opportunity for growth. God trusts us to walk through the fire so that we emerge with new tools in our hands. The light we gain in the wilderness isn't meant to be hidden; it is given to us so we can bravely descend back into the dark places, holding up a lantern for others as they navigate their own wilderness.
That is why this past week at the farm with our Gene Cook supports folks meant so much to me. It was a pristine day—a rare gift in Pennsylvania, where perfect weather and clear blue skies are few and far between. There wasn't a single cloud, the leaves were just starting to turn, and a little frog was hanging out in the grass.
During our study, I shared a quote I keep coming back to from Master Oogway in Kung Fu Panda: "Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That is why it is called the present."
Afterward, we went out to the field around the fire pit for yoga. That was where I took in nature, and where we put our study into practice. How often do we get to do that—to take what we hear in Scripture and immediately embody it right there in the grass? It was the exact reset my soul needed.
So often, we overlook the gift of presence. We try to offer material gifts, find the perfect words, or fix everything. But faith is not an institution of control, productivity, or perfection. Its true purpose is to offer us God’s divine presence in our lives and in one another. You don't have to fix anything. You don't need eloquent answers. You just need to sit beside someone, face-to-face, and give your undivided attention and love. The more we look into each other’s faces, the more of God we see.
In Exodus 33, Moses begs God to show him His glory. God promises that His panim—His presence, His face—will go with him. But because no one can look directly upon God's face and live, God tucks Moses into the cleft of a rock, covering him with His hand while His glory passes by, allowing Moses to see only His back.
Søren Kierkegaard famously wrote that life can only be understood backward, but it must be lived forward. That was Moses. He couldn't take in the full weight of God's glory in real-time; he could only see where God had been. Isn't that how presence works for us? In the middle of a storm, we rarely realize God is right there. It is only when we pause and look back that we say: Ah, there You were. You were holding me in the cleft of the rock the whole time.
In Matthew 22, the religious leaders try to trap Jesus with a question about paying taxes to Caesar. Jesus asks for a coin and says, "Whose face is on this?" When they answer Caesar's, Jesus replies, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and give to God what is God's."
We live under heavy, exhausting systems of greed, inflation, and pressure that drain us spiritually. But while Caesar's face may be stamped on a coin, it is not stamped on you. Genesis reminds us that you were made in the image of God. Your attention, your heart, and your presence belong to Him alone.
Our church banner right now reads Flow, based on John 7:38: "Whoever believes in me, out of their heart will flow rivers of living water." Living water cannot flow through a pipe clogged with yesterday's bitterness or dammed up with tomorrow's anxiety. To flow, we have to stay in the present. God gives us manna for today. You can only breathe today's air, and you were never meant to carry tomorrow's weight.
My charge for us this week:
Be here. When you are with someone, put down the phone and the mental to-do list. Look at their face—that is the image of God sitting right beside you.
Stop trying to fix it. You don't need to perform or search for the right words. Just sit beside them and let them slow down.
Let go of tomorrow. Render to the world what belongs to the world, but hold your heart fast for God.
Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. But today—this breath, this gathering, this face beside you—today is a gift. Be present, and let it flow.
This week's NEW Spiritual Practice
For a long time, our weekly manna spiritual practice has been Dwelling in the Word. I love that practice because it invites us to set aside theology, history, and context to simply listen for a message from God meant just for us. But last week, when I sat down to write our manna, I felt completely spiritually blocked, which is why I didn't send out a summary (though you can always jump on our Facebook live feed and fast-forward to catch the message).
Today, I want to invite us into a new spiritual practice called the Daily Examen. If our sermon on Sunday was about learning to be present and noticing God’s face in our lives, the Examen is the actual tool that helps us put that into practice. It goes back to Saint Ignatius in the 1500s, who realized that if we don't pause to pay attention, we miss God right in front of us. It’s a simple five-step process of noticing God’s presence, giving thanks, looking back over your day, receiving grace for where you stumbled, and looking ahead with hope. By making this a regular habit, we sharpen our spiritual eyes to see where God has been holding us all along. While it was originally designed as an evening prayer, I’ve found in my own life that I’m often just too tired at night to do it well. It works so much better as a morning practice—sitting down with a fresh mind, body, and spirit (and a fresh cup of coffee) to look back on yesterday through the lens of God's grace, so we can step fully into today.
The Daily Examen
Opening Prayer
"God, You are here with me now, and You have been with me through every moment leading up to this. Help me to quiet my mind, set aside my distractions, and see where You have been at work in my life. Give me an open heart to receive Your grace and Your truth today. Amen."
Pause and Remember You Are Held
Take a deep breath and settle in. Before you do anything else, remind yourself that God is right here with you in this moment, looking at you with complete love and zero judgment.
Give Thanks for Your Blessings
Look back over the past 24 hours and name a few specific gifts. It doesn't have to be anything big—a warm cup of coffee, a good laugh, a clear blue sky, or a moment of quiet. Thank God for showing up in those small places.
Replay the Day with God
Gently walk back through your day like you’re watching a movie. Don't analyze or beat yourself up; just pay attention to how you felt. Where did you feel alive, peaceful, and connected? Where did you feel anxious, drained, or rushed?
Receive Grace and Let It Go
Bring the hard moments, the missteps, or the places where you lost your cool into God's light. Instead of carrying guilt, hand those moments over to God, receive His forgiveness, and let them rest.
Look Ahead with Purpose
Look toward what is coming next on your schedule. Ask God to give you the grace, patience, and eyes to see His face in the people you will meet. Take one final deep breath, knowing you aren't walking through life alone.
Closing Prayer
"Lord, thank You for Your endless grace and for holding all of my life—past, present, and future—in Your hands. Forgive my missteps, heal my weary heart, and fill me with Your peace. As I step into what comes next, give me the patience, love, and wisdom to walk closely with You. Amen."
Looking Ahead
This upcoming Sunday's Scripture can be found by clicking here
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