Worship Wednesdays - Epiphany Thoughts...

Epiphany - the final day of the Christmas season!

It's the day we celebrate the arrival of the Three Wise Men, 

and the amazing gifts they brought the baby Jesus:

Gold, a gift for a king.

Frankincense, a gift for a priest.

Myrrh, a gift for one who is to die...

I've been thinking a lot about the Three Wise Men this year. Historians and theologians tell us that they were scholars, possible royalty. They traveled for years from a far off land to the east, probably with a large caravan. Their only guide: a star that they believed would bring them to the Messiah. In a world with no GPS and where travel could cost you your life, what an amazing undertaking.

I've often been taught that the Wise Men are important because they represent the universality of the newborn Saviour. Jesus wasn't just for a specific group of people - He came to save the world.

This year, I had a new thought about them:

Think about that first Christmas for a moment, and all the different people who witnessed the arrival of the baby Jesus. For most of them, the miracle took them by surprise. Sure, in a scholarly and religious sense, they'd been told to await the coming of the Messiah, but most of them didn't know it would happen that night in their own backyard. It was shocking, and overwhelming in its unexpectedness.

But the Wise Men were different.

They knew this was happening. They had been following the star. They had intention. As they got closer, the time and the location of the birth became ever clearer. When they met the baby for the first time, they were ready. They had gifts. They were prepared to worship. They had arrived at their destination, and they would never be the same again.

Are we the same? 

Are we actively seeking God in this world? 

Are we focused on finding the miraculous, 

despite the challenges and distractions that may come our way? 

Are we ready to worship when we finally meet Him face to face?

The Wise Men remind us that, no matter how far we need to travel, 

or how long it takes us to get there, there is alway room for us at the manger.

I pray that, as you make your goals and resolutions for 2016, you will choose to seek the newborn King.

Tonight, we'll celebrate Epiphany by leading worship at a brand new weekly service called Advent Cafe in St. Catharines, Ontario. You can find the full details HERE.

Happy Epiphany!

Worship Wednesdays is a weekly series to encourage and equip worship leaders and songwriters.

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