I've had an Epiphany!

Colossians 3:12-17 12 Therefore, as God’s elect, holy and loved, clothe yourselves with heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. 13 Bear with one another and forgive each other if anyone has a complaint against anyone else. Forgive, just as Christ forgave you. 14 And, in addition to all these things, put on love, which ties things together in perfect unity. 15 Let the peace of Christ control your hearts, to which you were also called, in one body. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, with gratitude in your hearts to God. 17 And everything you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. “ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. ” Amen. (Ephesians 1:3) Growing up, my...

Romans 8:32 32 Indeed, he who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also graciously give us all things along with him? “ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. ” Amen. (Ephesians 1:3) I still distinctly remember the disappointment I felt as a child one Christmas. I was with my family at my grandparents’ home on Christmas Eve. We were exchanging gifts. One of my uncles and aunts had my name. I excitedly opened the present. It was a little Hot Wheels truck. Now, Hot Wheels were always cooler than Matchbox, but I was still disappointed. I don’t know what I wanted that year for Christmas, but I guess I didn’t want a Hot Wheels pickup truck. This past year has been a big disappointment, hasn’t it? So many events have been canceled. So much civil unrest. So much lost time in the classroom. So much loneliness, sniping, accusations and mistrust. Disappointm...

2 Samuel 7:8-16 8 You are also to say the following to my servant David. This is what the Lord of Armies says. I took you from the pasture, from following sheep, to be ruler over my people, over Israel. 9 I have been with you wherever you went. I have cut off all your enemies from before you. I will make your reputation great, like that of the great ones on the earth. 10 I will set up a place for my people Israel, and I will plant them there. They will dwell there, and they will not be disturbed again. Violent men will not afflict them again as they did at the beginning 11 and ever since the day I appointed judges over my people Israel. I will give you rest from all your enemies. The Lord also declares to you that the Lord himself will make a house for you. 12 When your days are complete and you rest with your fathers, I will raise up after you your seed, who will come from your own body. I will establish his kingdom. 13 He will build a house for my name, and I will es...

Isaiah 61:1-3, 10-11 The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the afflicted. He sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release for those who are bound, 2 to proclaim the year of the Lord ’s favor and the day of vengeance for our God, to comfort all who mourn, 3 to provide for those who mourn in Zion, to give them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, a cloak of praise instead of a faint spirit, so that they will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord to display his beauty. 10 I will rejoice greatly in the Lord . My soul will celebrate because of my God, for he has clothed me in garments of salvation. With a robe of righteousness he covered me, like a bridegroom who wears a beautiful headdress like a priest, and like a bride who adorns herself with her jewelry. 11 For as the earth produces its growth, and as a garden causes what has been...

Isaiah 40:1-2 Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. 2 Speak to the heart of Jerusalem and call out to her. Her warfare really is over. Her guilt is fully paid for. Yes, she has received from the Lord ’s hand double for all her sins. Lift up your voice with strength. Lift it up! Do not be afraid! Say, “Here is your God!” (Isaiah 40:9) Amen. Many of you know that I’m colorblind. My sisters think that I just never learned my colors. When people learn I’m colorblind, the first reaction is to usually ask me, “What color is this? What color is that?” Every once in a while, because I know they’re both intrigued and teasing, I’ll challenge them, “Do you ask a blind person, ‘What does this look like?’ or a deaf person, ‘What does this sound like?’” I understand where they’re coming from. It’s hard for someone who sees colors to imagine what it’s like not being able to distinguish blue from purple or not see shades of yellow and green or have no clue what color periwinkle is. It...

Luke 2:15-20 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Now let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.”  16  So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.  17  When they had seen him, they told others the message they had been told about this child.  18  And all who heard it were amazed by what the shepherds said to them.  19  But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.  20  And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. Jesse is the head shepherd, overseeing the flocks of sheep in the pastures outside Bethlehem. His father, Amos, is out in the fields this night. Jesse’s younger brothers are with them. Jesse’s oldest son, Malachi, has finished his homework and has joined his da...