Thursday, January 4, 2018

Missing the Epiphany

This Saturday is the Christian holiday 'Epiphany' - the celebration of the Wise Men bringing gifts to Jesus a few years after he was born. We don't get all the details of the story, but it must have been incredible. While going about their daily routine, the Wise Men see an amazing star in the sky and are suddenly compelled to travel hundreds of miles to pay homage to a baby. They had an epiphany.

But the thing is...an epiphany is only an epiphany if you recognize it.

If the Wise Men hadn't noticed the star and hadn't responded with a road trip through the desert, it wouldn't have been an epiphany. They never would have warned the Holy Family of Herod's evil plan. Mary and Joseph never would have fled to Africa. And cosmic history would have been altered. Thank God the Wise Men were paying attention and were courageous in response.

I wonder how often I miss out on the epiphanies of God. 

How often is God doing something incredible in my midst and I'm totally unaware? How often do I miss the miracle, majesty, and wonder of God's work in the world...too distracted or neglectful to witness the presence of the Almighty shining like a beacon into our world? 

In this season of the year, as we celebrate Epiphany and remember the Wise Men, may we be committed to an intentional awareness and receptivity to the ongoing epiphanies of God. May our eyes, ears, and hearts be open and attuned to how God might be showing up and what God might want to reveal.

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