January 6, 2021 - Epiphany Devotion - The Epiphany of Our Lord
Songs of thankfulness and praise,
Jesus, Lord, to thee we raise;
Manifested by the star,
To the sages from afar.
Branch of royal David's stem,
In thy birth at Bethlehem:
Anthems be to thee addressed,
God in flesh made manifest.
“When the wise men saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.”
Today is Epiphany, The Epiphany of Our Lord, the thirteenth day after Christmas, the day celebrated as the day the wise men's journey had brought them to the baby Jesus, the day celebrated as the day their search to confirm the arrival of a new king was realized, the day celebrated as the day the light in the sky led them to The Light of the world.
'Epiphany' at its simplest of definitions means to see, to see in a new way, to see with a new light, to gain a new understanding.
The wise men came upon an epiphany, a new king, a realization The One they were searching for was before them. Their eyes had been opened to a new understanding. Their eyes had been cleared, their darkness had been overcome, by The Bright New Light in their midst. The wise men were graced by God to see The Christ was indeed The Promised Christ, to see this was God in flesh made manifest, to see God had come to God's people, to see The One they had brought treasures for was indeed The Treasured One!
Epiphany is the season of the Church Year that God graces us with to clear our eyes in a new way, to clearly understand once again, to see more clearly than ever before, that The One we follow, that The Bright New Light in our life, shines more clearly today than yesterday, that The Christ we proclaim and surrender to, that The One we treasure is indeed The One who treasures us!
May The Bright New Light give you a new epiphany, may God in flesh be manifested for you this thirteenth day after Christmas, this blessed season of Light and Truth, all the days of your life!
Let us pray: Lord today I tell you though I believe in you and your grace, though I am a believer, though I trust your gifts of forgiveness and salvation, I do not always clearly see you as The Bright New Light in my life. You are The Truest Treasure in my life. I am sorry I do not always pay you homage. I am sorry I do not always look for your Light alone. I am sorry I do not fully recognize or realize or clearly see you as The Promised Christ. As I enter this mysterious and majestic season of Epiphany, open my eyes and my heart to new epiphanies, again and again, celebrating you and treasuring you in my midst wherever you lead me, in the Bright New Light of your grace. In your manifested presence I pray. Amen.
Today's devotion concludes this series of seasonal devotions.
Watch for seasonal devotions to resume during Lent, beginning with Ash Wednesday, February 17.
Weekly devotions will continue each Friday, including details for that weekend’s Sunday worship!