Have you ever had an “epiphany”?

An epiphany, such as

“a sudden, intuitive perception of or insight into the reality or essential meaning of something, usually initiated by some simple, homely, or commonplace occurrence or experience.”

 

Traditionally, there’s an Epiphany every year – January 6th. 

     

The 6th of January:

      

• Celebrating the day of the birth of Jesus, by some of the eastern Orthodox Churches. 

 

• Celebrating the day of the visit of the Magi, by the Roman Catholic Church. 

 

• Celebrating the 12th day of Christmas (FYI: the counting begins the day AFTER Christmas).

 

And now …

The 6th of January 2021. 

A day that will be remembered, but not celebrated, along with Pearl Harbor, D-Day, the assassination of JFK, 9/11.

        

Pandemonium in the Midst of the Pandemic 

     

The day that will be remembered, but not celebrated, as the day of an insurrection against the law of our country – the UNITED States of America. 

The day of the assault on one of the basic tenets of the American way of governance – the PEACEFUL transfer of power from one president to another. 

Another day that will “live in infamy.”

         

What Should Be Our Response? 

    

The Question facing us all today is

“How do we, as a country, go forward from here?”

 

I pray we go TO God. 

I pray we go WITH God. 

I pray we go FOR God. 

   

I pray we go TO God. 

   

• That we go TO God in humble repentance, for our arrogance in assuming to “know the mind of God,” but not following the Way of God. 

 

• That we go TO God in our shame and humiliation, for abandoning His name or presuming on His name. 

 

• That we go TO God in sorrow and regret, for attacking the essence of this God-given country, birthed by His grace, given His favor, established for His glory. 

     

      

I pray we go WITH God. 

    

• That we go WITH God, following His Way, not following “our way.”

¹² There is a way which seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.                                                            Proverbs 14:12 NASB

 

• That we go WITH God, and love our neighbors while remembering who He said our neighbor is. 

²⁹ Jesus answered, “The foremost is, ‘HEAR, O ISRAEL! THE LORD OUR GOD IS ONE LORD; ³⁰ AND YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH.’ ³¹ “The second is this, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”                                                             Mark 12:29-30 NASB

 

• That we go WITH God, and pray for our enemies.

⁴³ “You have heard that it was said, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR and hate your enemy.’ ⁴⁴ “But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you …                                                    Matthew 5:43-44 NASB

 

• That we go WITH God, and bless our enemies.

³⁸ “You have heard that it was said, ‘AN EYE FOR AN EYE, AND A TOOTH FOR A TOOTH.’ ³⁹ “But I say to you, do not resist an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.                                                             Matthew 5:39 NASB

 

¹⁴ Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.                                                             Romans 12:14 NASB

 

• That we go WITH God, and serve as we lead, whether we lead the country or the state, a business or our family, or merely our own behavior, for blessing or destruction.  

²⁵ And He said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who have authority over them are called ‘Benefactors.’ ²⁶ “But it is not this way with you, but the one who is the greatest among you must become like the youngest, and the leader like the servant.                                                     Luke 22:25-26 NASB

 

• That we go WITH God, and do not think of ourself more highly, nor as wiser than we are.

³ For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith.                                                             Romans 12:3 NASB

 

• That we go WITH God in humility, and not in pride. 

⁵ … and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE. ⁶ Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time …                                                            1 Peter 5:5-6 NASB

 

• That we go WITH God, knowing we depend on Him for our breath, our life, our very being. 

⁷ Then the LORD God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.                                                             Genesis 2:7 NASB

      

      

I pray we go FOR God. 

     

In Trust. 

In Obedience. 

In Faith. 

 

• In Trust in His will, His Way. 

That we trust in Him, and not the armies, the plans, and the power of men. 

⁷ Some boast in chariots and some in horses, But we will boast in the name of the LORD, our God.                                                                   Psalm 20:7 NASB

 

• In Obedience to His Lordship, His commands. 

¹⁵ “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.                                                   John 14:15 NASB

 

• In Faith in His sovereignty, His Kingship. 

³⁷ Therefore Pilate said to Him, “So You are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say correctly that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.”                                                  John 18:37 NASB

    

      

God Is God and We Are Not

       

YeHoVaH is God of the universe. It is His creation. 

⁷ “Can you discover the depths of God? Can you discover the limits of the Almighty? ⁸ “They are high as the heavens, what can you do? Deeper than Sheol, what can you know? ⁹ “Its measure is longer than the earth And broader than the sea.                                                            Job 11:7-9 NASB

 

We are NOT. 

¹ Then the LORD said to Job, ² “Will the faultfinder contend with the Almighty? Let him who reproves God answer it.” ³ Then Job answered the LORD and said, ⁴ “Behold, I am insignificant; what can I reply to You? I lay my hand on my mouth. ⁵ “Once I have spoken, and I will not answer; Even twice, and I will add nothing more.”                                                        Job 40:1-5 NASB

        

       

Consider This:

The Future Depends on Our Choices Now

   

How are we to respond as a nation?

How are we to respond as an individual?

How are we to balance our citizenship as Americans with our allegiance to God, as citizens of His Kingdom?

 

[Please subscribe to see 7 Lessons from Job: Part 5 – God Is God and We Are Not coming soon.]  

 

May there be Shalom across our land.

Amen. 

 

Blessings,

 

TLThomas

It’s ok to doubt, if you check it out!

 

Be a Berean!

¹⁰The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived they went into the Jewish synagogue. ¹¹ Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.                   Acts 17:10, 11 ESV

 

 

See also  

Trust:   By Faith or By Works? That Is the Question

Obedience:  Are You Obeying Your King?

Faith:  Do You Have an Enduring Faith?

No More New Year’s Resolutions!

 

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Copyright TLThomas 2021