Show Notes
In this final week of Epiphany, we are invited to reflect on our own sinfulness in order to greater appreciate the bounty of God’s mercy and forgiveness.
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Episode Transcript
Epiphany as the season draws to a close this week, but epiphany as we commonly understand it, as an “Aha” or awakening moment should in some ways be our daily watchword throughout the rest of the year. The Magi’s journey did not end when they found Jesus in Bethlehem. In some ways, it had just begun. In the same way, may our encounter with Jesus be the start of a new way of living and being.
A reading from the book of Isaiah chapter six, verses one through eight.
6 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple. 2 Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. 3 And they were calling to one another:
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty;
the whole earth is full of his glory.”
4 At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke.
5 “Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.”
6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. 7 With it he touched my mouth and said, “See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.”
8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?”
And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”
Some Christians struggle with spending time in reflection and repentance because they don’t think we should focus on our sinfulness and brokenness. After all, Jesus has forgiven us all our sins and we’re redeemed, right? Let’s just fast forward to the joy of Easter and the resurrection. But that’s to ignore the enrichment and empowerment that is to be found through a sober consideration of just how far we have strayed and how lost and blind we had been. Only after Isaiah was rocked by a revelation of just how desperately sinful he was in the unimaginable light of God’s holiness did he find the cleansing that he needed. Awakened in a new way to just how much he had been forgiven, he was then ready to be God’s messenger. The wonderful thing about truly facing our need for a Savior is discovering how much greater He is than our failure.
When we really understand what he has done, we can’t help but be grateful and generous in response. Remember when some criticized the sinful woman who anointed Jesus’ feet with expensive perfume in Luke chapter seven, he said that those who have been forgiven more, love more? Now, if facing your sin causes you to feel overwhelmed, consider the marvelous lesson by the renowned missionary and writer, Elisabeth Elliot. Speaking to a crowd, she once held up a small seashell and told everyone that believing that their sin was greater than God’s mercy was like that small shell wondering whether there was enough water in the ocean to fill it. More than enough, so much that it will overflow, just as Isaiah experienced. When we have a deeper appreciation of where we have been rescued from, we will be more willing to go wherever and do whatever to share with others the great joy we have found.
The 98th Psalm.
Sing to the Lord a new song,
for he has done marvelous things;
his right hand and his holy arm
have worked salvation for him.
The Lord has made his salvation known
and revealed his righteousness to the nations.
He has remembered his love
and his faithfulness to Israel;
all the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation of our God.
Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth,
burst into jubilant song with music;
make music to the Lord with the harp,
with the harp and the sound of singing,
with trumpets and the blast of the ram’s horn—
shout for joy before the Lord, the King.
Let the sea resound, and everything in it,
the world, and all who live in it.
Let the rivers clap their hands,
let the mountains sing together for joy;
let them sing before the Lord,
for he comes to judge the earth.
He will judge the world in righteousness
and the peoples with equity.
Dear Lord, sometimes I find myself minimizing my sin, especially when I compare myself to others. Facing up to the shame and regret and sense of failure that comes from my wrongdoing, I can be tempted to want to hide, but I know that truly as I invite you into the shadows and dark places of my life. Your glorious light brings cleansing and healing and wholeness, recognizing more fully how low you came to deliver me from sin and death makes me want to lift you higher. Like Isaiah, I want to be a messenger of your redeeming love. And so I offer myself as he did to praying in the words of Elisabeth Elliot, Loving Lord and Heavenly Father. I offer up today all that I am, all that I have, all that I do and all that I suffer to be yours today and yours forever. Give me grace Lord to do all that I know of your holy will, purify my heart, sanctify my thinking, correct my desires. Teach me in all of today’s work and trouble and joy to respond with honest praise, simple trust and an instant obedience that my life may be in truth a living sacrifice by the power of your Holy Spirit. And in the name of your son, Jesus Christ, my master and my all. Amen.
