The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighbourhood.
We saw the glory with our own eyes, the one-of-a-kind glory, like Father, like Son,
Generous inside and out, true from start to finish.
[John 1:14, The Message]
God came to earth as a human being – or as Charles Wesley put it in his hymn, ‘Let earth and heaven combine’: “Our God contracted to a span, incomprehensibly made man.” Many did not notice God entering the world. Many missed the signs – but there were a few who didn’t miss him. The magi saw a star in the sky and knew what it meant.
They travelled a long way to find the one they were looking for, their gifts a reflection of who they believed the child to be: gold, an expensive gift that most people could never have afforded – the gift for a king; frankincense, often burnt to represent the presence of God – the magi recognised who Jesus was – God on earth; and myrrh, used as an anaesthetic and to embalm dead bodies – a gift recognising what would happen to Jesus, who would be offered myrrh mixed with wine at his crucifixion and the women would have used it to anoint his body after his death.
Do we know who Jesus is? Do we recognise his presence in our lives? In the world? What does Jesus mean to us? During Epiphany, why not read some of the epiphany hymns, of which there are many to choose from?
Revealed God
We thank you that your light has shone in the world
That we have seen your glory
Help us to be your light in the darkness of our world
To lead people who are lost to you
Help us to share with other what you mean to us
Revealed God
Continue to reveal yourselves to us
Each and every day
Amen
You can download a pdf of this Prayer for the Week here
Weekly Prayers for January 2020 by Revd Claire Rawlinson
Image: photo by Inbal Malca on Unsplash
