a view through annie's eyes

Tomorrow is Epiphany on the church calendar. It is a day that represents the wise men coming to visit the Christ child, thus celebrating Christ as Savior of the world. In England, it is celebrated as Twelfth Night, with a feast and plum pudding. It is also the day that all Christmas decorations should be removed—note to self.

Epiphany celebrates Christ as Light of the World to the Gentiles. January 6 also holds special meaning to me as I knelt before the Lord rededicating my life to Christ fifteen years ago and felt the Holy Spirit reawaken this prodigal soul. I no longer worship in a church that celebrates the church calendar year, but I love the reminder of this special day.

Here, some 2000 years after the birth of our Christ, someone from each generation had to take the Great Commission seriously and share the Hope of men with others, making disciples in all the world. God preserved a remnant even in the darkest of days of Christianity to carry the Good News, to sometimes die for the cause, to almost always be persecuted for the purpose, but to insure that someone like you or I, in the twenty-first century, could still know this great saving message of Life. This cheers my heart and absolutely slays it at the same time—that God would be so faithful to us that we would have the opportunity for hope and a relationship with Him because of those faithful servants who have gone before us.

Please join me in prayer for those carrying His Word into all the nations today, for those who forsake comfort and security and risk persecution and even death to give their lives to the cause of the Great Commission, in particular, my friends, Patti and Georgia. Many people have come to a saving knowledge of Christ because of missionaries, either by being able to hold His Word in their hands and read for themselves in their native language or hear the Good News preached from a willing vessel. I came to Christ because I saw Him in another. We were not given this Gift to keep it to ourselves. It is meant to be shared.

Blessed Epiphany to you, as you reflect on how and maybe who brought the Good News to you. If you would like, share a little of how you came to know Christ or perhaps the name of the person who shows you Christ, so we can give thanks this day for them.

Deep Peace of Christ, the Light of the World to you,