Epiphany - God Revealed Among Us

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Tuesday, January 6, 2009 - Epiphany
Devotions: Ps 46, 96, 97, 100; Isa 52:7-10; Rev 21:22-27; Mt 12:14-21

God is our Refuge and Strength; we can lean on Him in every circumstance. There is a river whose streams grace God’s city; God is in her midst, and no tumult can shake her. YHWH Sabaoth is with us! Let us be still and know that I AM is God, exalted over heavens and earth, our Refuge! Let us sing to Him a new song; let us bless His name and tell of His salvation every day. Declare His glory and mighty works everywhere, to every one. Other ‘gods’ are false idols, but YHWH made heavens and earth and rules them. Honor, majesty, strength and beauty are His. Worship the Lord, and bow to Him, everyone. Let earth rejoice and the heavens be glad; let all nature exult! He will come to judge the world and redeem His people; in Him is truth. He preserves the lives of His faithful ones—we have light and joy in Him; give thanks to His holy name. Let us come to Him and serve Him with gladness and song. We are His people, the sheep of His pasture. The Lord is good; His steadfast love endures for ever, and His faithfulness to all generations.

Let captive Jerusalem be roused—get up, daughter of Zion! How beautiful is the bearer of good news! Publish peace; distribute good tidings: the Lord has comforted His People; He has come to us! Let all the earth sing His praises, for all shall see the salvation from our God.

In the New Jerusalem, there is no temple; God and the Lamb are its temple! There is no sun or moon, for God’s glory is its Light, and the Lamb is its Lamp. By this light shall the Gentiles walk, and the kings of earth bring their tribute to God. The gates never shut, since it is always day there. And nothing unclean will enter it, nor any who act sinfully—only those who are inscribed in the Lamb’s book of life.

As His furious enemies conspired to kill Him, Jesus continued to heal the sick, telling them not to speak about Him. He embodied Isaiah’s prophecy: ‘Behold God’s chosen Servant, the Beloved in Whom God’s soul is well-pleased. He is filled with God’s Spirit; He proclaims justice to the Gentiles. He will not wrangle or cry aloud; His voice will not echo in the streets. He will not break a bruised reed or quench a smoldering wick, until He brings justice to victory. In His name will the Gentiles hope!’