Lesson for Epiphany

I think by all calendars and in everyone's homes Christmas is officially over.
In our home we celebrate Advent beginning the fourth Sunday prior to Christmas through Christmas Eve, followed by 12 days of general Christmas and New Year's merriment, and then we wrap up the season on January 6th, Epiphany. Epiphany, also called "Three Kings Day",  is translated as "manifestation" and refers to the manifestation of Jesus Christ as the promised messiah.

Each year since we moved to Germany I have marked our door on this day and prayed a blessing over our home.
The symbols are 20 and 13 for the year.  And the initials in between do NOT stand for "Matt", "Clarissa" and "Boys"!  Although it fits quite nicely and is usually what people think it stands for when they see it on my door frame, the initials stand for three wise men Melchior, Caspar and Balthazar.

The door this year.

The prayer.

"O God, you once used a star to show to all the world that Jesus is your Son. May the light of that star that once guided wise men to his birth, now guide us to recognize him in the epiphanies of the daily experiences of our lives.  As we go about our work, our study, our play, keep us in its light and in your love.  May all who enter here find your gracious hospitality, for Christ has come to dwell in this house and in these hearts."

I absolutely love this prayer!  I found it on some website explaining the symbols placed over the door.  I love the request to help us to recognize "him in the epiphanies of the daily experiences of our lives".  I also love the idea that God once used a star to lead the Magi to Jesus and now He uses me, and my house.
One of the lessons of our Advent this year was talking about possible reasons why God chose to reveal his son to Magi.  One proposal I found was that the Magi were seekers and they were constantly looking for answers in the sky.  It was in the sky that God gave them an answer.  Actually, it was in the sky that God revealed THE answer.
God often reveals himself in the very place we are most commonly looking.  Even if we are not looking for him at all.  I cannot count the number of times that God has revealed himself or his plans to me as I am going about my normal tasks.  It is not usually in a candle lit room with incense and meditation that I see an epiphany.  It is when I'm running, teaching my kids, speaking with friends or any other "normal" activity.
Oh that I will keep my eyes and ears open for the epiphanies in the daily experiences of my life and that I will somehow be a star in the sky to those who are looking in my general direction for answers.
Happy New Year!



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