Happy Epiphany!

 ¹⁰ When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. ¹¹ On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.- Matthew 2:10-11


Happy Epiphany!  Today is the day Christmas decorations "officially" come down.  I usually take mine down New Year's Day, but I think I'm going to be stuck with them until tomorrow.


Epiphany celebrates the day the wise men visited the Christ child.  Tradition says three wise men, but we don't know how many.  Tradition also makes us believe that they visited Jesus at the manger, but biblical scholars believe that Jesus was about three years old before the Magi got there.


I think the wisest thing about these wise men is that they knew who to bow down to... and it wasn't King Herod.  What brings us to our knees?  As Americans, we boast about not kneeling to kings and queens, and as Lutherans we don't kneel down to our bishops.  The wise men instinctively felt the glory, power and beauty in the Christ child and it drew them to their knees in awe and wonder.  They knew what many did not yet know... this child had more power in his little finger than Herod had in his whole realm of armies.  They were truly wise men.


The magi are also known as the Three Kings.  Here is a wonderful song to celebrate epiphany: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e013hM0BRuA


May the Star of Bethlehem illuminate your new year all year long!


Lord Jesus,
We thank you for the light you brought into the world.  Make us wise enough to know that to you alone should we kneel.  Amen.


Joys:  Getting back to hiking today; my reunion group; Epiphany