Our Epiphanying God

Whenever God chooses to come around and visit funny things start to happen, at least to us.  A simple group of men walk up to Abraham and he falls down on his face, but later his wife laughs.  A simple man gets water washed on him by a strange man in camel skin and God cries from heaven and labels that washed man as His Son Jesus, but the people assume it’s lightning.  Jesus speaks the Word, that is himself, and the people think he has a demon.

We ourselves try to think that we wouldn’t be so dumb to say or do such things, but wouldn’t we?  Or would we act like Martha, or maybe Zacheeus – Running around like a chicken with its head cut off trying to make sure everything is prepared, everything perfect. But it’s not perfect so we fret and worry, moan and groan, but Christ comes (epiphanies) anyway.

That’s who are God is.  He’s the Epiphanying God.  Elijah proved that didn’t he – fire, power, and might – but is that all he brings to us?  No, he brings things more precious to us, that is, he epiphanies amongst us and then he epiphanies great gifts for us – always the gifts we need.  He is always “God-who-forgives” for us.

He shows up for Peter’s mother-in-law, and she’s healed.  He epiphanies before the Widow at Nain and raises her son.  He is that woman who seeks the coin.  He epiphanies everywhere trying to do what he always does, that is, to claim us by and then continually give us His gifts.  Where does this take place?

When a child skins her knee and her mother comes to her aid – healing.  When a father forgives his son, or son forgives a father – forgiveness.  In a hospital ICU with a sick baby – life!  In a hospice room with family and friends near by – life and salvation.  In anyplace where there are sinners gathered Christ epiphanies, but not only Christ; for when he comes he brings the Father and Spirit too.  And then He epiphanies in simple words from a simple man, He epiphanies in the plain-looking pages of Holy Scripture, and He especially epiphanies His body and blood in simple bread and wine.

Whenever God epiphanies funny things start to happen – we get forgiven, and forgiven much.  And we need this forgiveness because we sin daily and much.  We have our clutter, our problems, and our sin filled lives, but Christ epiphanies anyway!  He epiphanies for us as often as he can and as much as he can because we need him to desperately.

He’s sort of like Sam-I-am in Green Eggs and ham.  He follows us around just wanting to give us gifts.  In house, in a gym, in a hospital, in a church – wherever he needs to go to find us.  We don’t have to cry “I do not like it The-Great-I-AM,” because he brings something far greater to us than yucky green eggs and ham – forgiveness, life, and salvation.  Thus he remains our epiphanying God, our God who forgives.