Honoring through Gifts

by

Special to United Methodist Insight

The season of Epiphany comes right on the heels of Christmas and is a time to recognize the visit of the scholars bringing gifts to the newborn baby Jesus. These wise men saw a star rising in the eastern sky. Being aware of astronomy they knew something special had happened and they felt called to go to honor this newborn King.

They packed up gifts and began an extended journey. They probably were not Jewish but, being scholars they were aware of history and such writings that are found in Numbers 24:17 ("there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel"), and Isaiah 60:6("they shall bring gold and incense; and they shall show forth the praises of the Lord").. The gifts that they brought were rare precious symbols representing royalty, worship, and immortality. Today, the giving of gifts at Christmas represents that tradition.

Several years ago, caught up in the chaos of Christmas, I found myself on my knees on the floor surrounded by presents, beautiful wrapping paper, scissors, tope, and bows no longer able to procrastinate and avoid the job of wrapping the gifts.

Suddenly, a sense of calmness and peace came and I began to pray for each person who was to receive each present. I found myself smiling and sometimes in tears as memories flooded over me. The frustration of 'having to do this" turned into a positive experience and a way to honor and praise God. I realized the infinite number of blessings I constantly receive and the opportunity to share was a great gift.

I am now able to joyfully anticipate gift-wrapping as a means to honor loved ones and to honor God by following the example of the wise men. We each have the honor to worship God through our sharing and to receive the gift of love in all we do.

A Prayer for Epiphany

Creator of light and life, thank you!

We enter this season of Epiphany looking around seeing a world darkened by a desperate need of filters, for decency, for integrity, for courtesy, for humility, and most assuredly for love. In Epiphany we remember the story of people of wisdom traveling great distances to bring gifts to the Light of the World and yet we choose to drag along our excess baggage, sharing while remaining silent. We should be taking the risk of showing Your Grace and Love. We want to be Your instruments but find ourselves out-of-tune, contributing little but painful cacophony and disturbing the peace of the symphony of life in God's marvelous Creation. Have mercy on us; most merciful God.

The words in Ephesians tell us that Your purpose is to have the church take the lead in showing the ‘rulers and powers’ the many varieties of Your wisdom but we settle for mediocrity, accept the ordinary, take what seems to be an easy course selling out rather than reaching out for Your extra-ordinary. Have mercy on us, most merciful God.

Challenge us to honor You with the same commitment that the persons of wisdom did when they brought gifts to the new-born Christ. Thank You for the opportunity of a fresh start with a new calendar year. Grant us wisdom and courage to stand ‘in the world' and not stoop to being ‘of the world’. May our thoughts and actions serve to glorify You and not become idolatry of worshipping things or worshipping those claiming to have all the answers. Thank you for the blessing of serving as Your hands and feet doing Your work here on earth. Thank you for Your unconditional grace and love. Amen.

Wil Meiklejohn of Pueblo West, Colo., is a retired Doctor of Optometry currently serving as a Certified Lay Minister in the Trinity District of the Mountain Sky Annual Conference. His legacy background in the Methodist/United Methodist Church goes back more than 125 years through direct family connections.