Beginning the New Year there are many ways of celebrating with new things to do and new resolutions. This is also the Christian season of when we celebrate the wise men or three kings who came to see the baby Jesus, they knew as the long awaited Messiah, born of a miracle. These three were noble pilgrims from the east – in the 8th century they were named Balthasar (often represented as a king of Arabia), Melchior (as a king of Persia), and Gaspar (as a king of India). They certainly saw a great new life through infant Jesus, he was their epiphany.
This is a time to often look at life through new eyes – the word epiphany certainly is appropriate for that, to steal from a sermon by Rev. Todd Schmidt it’s a time of Aha! They dictionary certainly explains it well: epiphany; (1): a usually sudden manifestation or perception of the essential nature or meaning of something (2): an intuitive grasp of reality through something (as an event) usually simple and striking (3): an illuminating discovery, realization, or disclosure. Just like an Aha moment. You know – like when you say “Aha! Now I get it!” It’s something that I think God calls us to do on a daily basis – looking with new eyes, which I have to admit isn’t always easy. But being mindful of that God calls us to see what’s around us with new eyes or perception demands us to be open to what we normally shy away from or don’t consider. Or what we normally pass up or pass by.
What are we being asked to do as I said isn’t always easy because we would need to look beyond ourselves. In this busy world and even with looking at new resolutions for the New Year we seem to often think of ourselves and what is good for us – but also how about looking at what would be good for us to do in the world. Think on the things that need fixing in the world and then think on how you or our church can make a resolution to be a part of that fix, even if it is a small part of what can be done locally we can have a big effect.
Unity Shoppe and Heifer International are two such outreach projects your church works with to make a difference in the world’s wholeness. Maybe touching a neighbor, or acquaintance with a random or ongoing act of kindness. These are some of the ways to find your epiphany, your illuminating discovery, seeing the world with new epiphany eyes.
I wish you many blessings on your epiphany journey.
Peace, Lynda Bell
This is a time to often look at life through new eyes – the word epiphany certainly is appropriate for that, to steal from a sermon by Rev. Todd Schmidt it’s a time of Aha! They dictionary certainly explains it well: epiphany; (1): a usually sudden manifestation or perception of the essential nature or meaning of something (2): an intuitive grasp of reality through something (as an event) usually simple and striking (3): an illuminating discovery, realization, or disclosure. Just like an Aha moment. You know – like when you say “Aha! Now I get it!” It’s something that I think God calls us to do on a daily basis – looking with new eyes, which I have to admit isn’t always easy. But being mindful of that God calls us to see what’s around us with new eyes or perception demands us to be open to what we normally shy away from or don’t consider. Or what we normally pass up or pass by.
What are we being asked to do as I said isn’t always easy because we would need to look beyond ourselves. In this busy world and even with looking at new resolutions for the New Year we seem to often think of ourselves and what is good for us – but also how about looking at what would be good for us to do in the world. Think on the things that need fixing in the world and then think on how you or our church can make a resolution to be a part of that fix, even if it is a small part of what can be done locally we can have a big effect.
Unity Shoppe and Heifer International are two such outreach projects your church works with to make a difference in the world’s wholeness. Maybe touching a neighbor, or acquaintance with a random or ongoing act of kindness. These are some of the ways to find your epiphany, your illuminating discovery, seeing the world with new epiphany eyes.
I wish you many blessings on your epiphany journey.
Peace, Lynda Bell
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