Today’s scripture: Matthew 2:1-20 (NRSV) (The Message)
As you read, consider: What might God be saying to me in this passage? Summarize your thoughts in a sentence or two.
My thoughts (Rev. Tammy Mills):
With all the hype around Christmas, Epiphany often gets lost. Epiphany (the twelfth day of Christmas) is the day we celebrate the “Wise guys” coming to see Jesus. In most traditional nativity scenes they’re depicted as appearing at the manger, but today’s scripture would lead me to believe they came later. They had to keep their eye on the place the star appeared and then make a long and probably difficult journey to see Jesus.
What struck me most about the wise guy’s arrival this year was the fact that they were open to going home a different way. It probably would have been quicker and made a lot more sense if they had returned home as planed, but they were warned in a dream to take a different route home.
This Epiphany I wonder how open I am to taking a “different” route? Am I so caught up in routine and status quo that I am not hearing the Spirit speak to my heart to “go home a different way”?
Thought for the day: Am I open to God sending me in new directions?
We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the guidelines on the How to Pray page.