It’s the time of year when we look to new beginnings. We seek to gain a greater understanding of some things, and in other things seek to do better at them. For some people, we might desire certain revelations to come about that will cause pieces of the puzzle of life to fit together better.
One of the greatest revelations of all time is celebrated at this time of the year. Whether or not it actually happened date wise at this time of the year isn’t important. What’s important is that it happened.
What is this that I write of? The time of the Christian year known as Epiphany, or the time when God appeared.
A few days ago I received an group email from Dan Wilt, a leader and scholar in the world of ancient/future worship, talking about the significance of Epiphany and the new year. With his permission, I’d like you to read what he wrote…
EPIPHANY: WHEN GOD APPEARS
It is a beautiful experience to sit under the night sky, on a crisp January eve, and wait for the stars to appear. Constellations begin to form; seemingly isolated points of light configure into a vast network of increasingly visible families, clusters and galaxies. When light appears in darkness, our whole view changes.
Epiphany is this Wednesday, January 6th, and flows through the season of “After Epiphany” until the beginning of Lent (Feb. 17th). Epiphany Eve, tonight, sparks off the season. Epiphany means “manifestation,” or “appearing.”
“The Manifestation,” or “The Appearing” celebrates Christ’s manifestation to us in the Incarnation, the visit of the Magi to his birth, and the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist. It is, if you will, the conclusion of the Christmas season – the culminating celebration of the yearly “cycle of light” in the Church’s worship expression.
In all of these Epiphany moments, Christ is revealed as the Light of the World, appearing to both Jew and Gentile, and manifesting the Glory of God for all to see. May God “surround you with Light” as you see Him in a new way this Epiphany 2010.
Rejoice during this Epiphany season – God has planned, in so many ways, to appear to you, to show Himself as the “present” God in the midst of your circumstance. He is the God who appears. Look for His coming to you.
May His Light brighten the sky of your heart this Epiphany season.
Simply amazing to stop and consider again what God the Father did for us in sending His Son to show us the way back to a relationship with God. May we not forget that God has appeared and continues to call us to come and follow Him and to receive a life of abundant joy and spiritual blessing.
May this simple reminder by a significant part of your 2010 beginning.
(P.S. Check out more of Dan’s stuff at his website or www.worshiptraining.com)
Image © Vanessa Fitzgerald from stock.xchng
