Waiting for Epiphany
/The first few days after the birth of anyone are magical. The baby jerks and coos; wincing eyes seek knowledge and soak up information. Wise men, women, and children come to visit with gifts of earthly necessities, mostly clothing. Soon after the baby arrives the threats begin. For little Emily or Jason it is scarcity, ear infections and milk supply; for the Christmas baby, Jesus, it is assassination.
The years go by fast for Emily and Jason, but even faster for Jesus who turns thirty in twelve calendar days.
Each of us is born with a mission. For some, the mission is clear and being pursued; for others God only knows the mission and we can only hope it is achieved. By the time we are thirty most of us are in full mission mode. When he was thirty, Jesus was ready to turn his world upside down, talk to foreign women, heal on the Sabbath and destroy death. He knew the spirit of the Law better than anyone and aimed to demonstrate it. But first He needed a nod from God. Without it, Jesus may have been crucified a lot sooner.
On January 6th, Jesus went to the Jordan River to be baptized by John. No sooner did he emerge from the sea than the Holy Spirit descended in the form of a dove and landed on his shoulders. Then a voice came from heaven which said, “You are my beloved son, in you I am well pleased.” That was when the special connection between Creator and Son first went public.
On the day when God lets the people around you know how special you are to Him, hopefully you won’t have to be half naked in the middle of a river. Hopefully, you will be able to proceed with the power to make your world a much saner and compassionate place where the spirit of the Law reigns supreme.
Most businesses have mission statements that define who they are and what they aim to achieve. A personal mission statement is a good idea. Describe your mission in a paragraph and then aim to live it one day at a time. Start it with the epiphany that you are God’s own creation and that you want to please Him.