On Sunday, January 4, we celebrated Epiphany, a couple days early. January 6 marks the day we celebrate the arrival of the magi with their gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh for Jesus. It is the day and the beginning of the season of Epiphany, a season that centers on the manifestation or revealing of God in Jesus Christ. God is with and for us and this season shows us God revealed in Jesus.
The Magi, are the outsiders, the foreigners, that God chooses to draw to Jesus through the stars. God is revealed to Mary and Joseph, to the shepherds, to the angels and now to the Magi. What could God be trying to show, to reveal to us? It appears that God desires the arrival of His Son to be known through out the world. God is expanding the horizon. God continues to work through God’s chosen people, the Jews and extends the invitation to the Gentiles, the rest of us and that is good news for us. We too have a star to guide, a word we follow for a season or a year and we wonder what God might reveal to us through this word.
On Sunday, the Epiphany words were passed around after Clara Calhoun drew a word for our community. Our community Epiphany word is JUSTICE. The navy blue bag with Epiphany words will be available on the ushers table for you to draw your own word and see where it leads you. Place the word in your purse or wallet, on your nightstand, on the frig or a place you will see it and let the word guide you.
With the gift of your word received you might ponder these questions:
· How do you feel about your word?
· How does the word connect to your life?
· What is one way you could live into your word in the coming week?
· What scripture, phrase, or song can you carry with you to help you focus on your word?
Here is a blessing for those who receive star words to guide them. (adapted from spaciousfaith.com, Worship Words: Star Words for Epiphany, 1/4/23, Joaana Harader):
As stars have guided wise ones for centuries,
May your word guide you in the year ahead.
By the radiance of your star and the power of the Holy Spirit,
May you live with deeper intention and greater attention;
May you find the holy in delightfully unexpected places;
May you worship with joy,
Give with gratitude,
And follow another way home as God guides you.
Giving thanks to God for the journey with you and wondering where our community word of JUSTICE will lead us.
Bold Inquisitive Belief Loving Expansively,
Pastor Connie Spitzack
