The Light That Leads Us: New Year, Epiphany, and Covenant
The turning of the year invites reflection and resolve—looking back with honesty and forward with hope. The Church, in her wisdom, places this moment alongside the season of Epiphany, when we celebrate God’s self-revelation in Christ. The New Year asks us what we will do with the days ahead; Epiphany reminds us who goes with us. Together, they draw us into covenant—renewed relationship with God who faithfully seeks us first.
Epiphany proclaims that God does not remain hidden. In the child of Bethlehem, God is made known not only to Israel, but to the Magi from distant lands. Their journey tells us that God’s light reaches beyond boundaries of culture, certainty, and comfort. Christ is revealed to those willing to seek, to travel unfamiliar roads, and to trust that the light they see is enough for the next step.
As Methodists, we enter the New Year mindful that faith is not merely believed but lived—received and responded to. This is why the Covenant Renewal tradition holds such a meaningful place at the start of the year. In the Covenant Prayer, we offer ourselves again to God, not knowing exactly where the path will lead, but trusting the One who leads us:
“I am no longer my own, but yours.
Put me to what you will, rank me with whom you will;
put me to doing, put me to suffering…
Let me be full, let me be empty.”
These words echo the journey of the Magi. They did not know the full cost or consequence of following the star, yet they went. Covenant faith is Epiphany faith—choosing trust over control, obedience over certainty, surrender over self-direction.
The gifts the Magi bring—gold, frankincense, and myrrh—reflect the offering of their whole selves. Likewise, the Covenant Prayer asks not for selective commitment, but for complete availability. As this year begins, we are invited to place before Christ our plans and our fears, our strength and our weariness, confident that nothing offered in faith is wasted.
Scripture tells us that after encountering Christ, the Magi returned home “by another way.” Revelation leads to transformation. Covenant renewal is not a ritual of repetition, but of redirection. Having seen the light, we cannot continue unchanged. God calls us into new ways of living, loving, and serving in the world.
In a time marked by uncertainty and division, Epiphany assures us that the light still shines, and covenant reminds us that we belong—to God and to one another. We do not step into this New Year alone or unclaimed. We go as a people who have seen the light and renewed our promise to follow wherever it leads.
May this year be shaped not simply by resolutions, but by covenant faithfulness. May we follow the light with courage, offer ourselves with trust, and, having encountered Christ anew, return to the world by another way—bearing His light into every place we are sent.
Warmest regards
Leonora – CoChair
Photo by Diego Céspedes Cabrera on Unsplash
