The Wednesday after the Festival of the Epiphany of our Lord
Posted on January 8, 2025 by under
Scripture: Isaiah 60:1-6 (NKJV)
60:1 Arise, shine; For your light has come! And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you.
2 For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and deep darkness the people; But the Lord will arise over you, and His glory will be seen upon you.
3 The Gentiles shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.
4 “Lift up your eyes all around, and see: They all gather together, they come to you; Your sons shall come from afar, and your daughters shall be nursed at your side.
5 Then you shall see and become radiant, and your heart shall swell with joy; Because the abundance of the sea shall be turned to you, the wealth of the Gentiles shall come to you.
6 The multitude of camels shall cover your land, the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah; All those from Sheba shall come; They shall bring gold and incense, and they shall proclaim the praises of the Lord.”
Devotion
The wise men saw the star of the baby Lord Jesus in the east. They saw a light in the darkness. A light led them out of the darkness of false religion. The star, the light of the Christ, led them to the true Light of the world. It led them to the One who would lead mankind out of the darkness of sin and death, into the marvelous light of forgiveness, life, and salvation found in the Christ alone.
The baby Jesus was born to lowly parents, in a lowly stall, placed in a lowly manger, and wrapped up in lowly swaddling linens. The Creator of heaven and earth came to His people to bring them out of the darkness into the light of life. This light was to the Jews first, but it is also for the Gentiles who would cling to Him in faith. Arise, shine, all Gentiles, for your light has come! He has enlightened us with faith to cling to His works and merits, so that we may find redemption through Him alone.
Let your heart swell with joy, for no longer are we trapped in the dark prison where sin and death have held us. Satan no longer has us bound in the chains of sin and death. Our Lord Jesus has come to the whole world, Jews and Gentiles alike, to shine upon us with His glorious light. He is the Light that leads men out of the darkness into the light of salvation.
Collect: O God, Who by the leading of a star didst manifest Thine Only-begotten Son to the Gentiles: Mercifully grant, that we, who know Thee now by faith, may after this life have the fruition of Thy glorious Godhead; through the same Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
