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Daily Reading: January 6th

#DailyDevotion Don’t be those people.

January 6th

Is 66:1–20

Isa 66:12For thus says the LORD: “Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the nations like an overflowing stream; and you shall nurse, you shall be carried upon her hip, and bounced upon her knees.  (13)  As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you; you shall be comforted in Jerusalem.  (14)  You shall see, and your heart shall rejoice; your bones shall flourish like the grass; and the hand of the LORD shall be known to his servants, and he shall show his indignation against his enemies…18″For I know their works and their thoughts, and the time is coming to gather all nations and tongues. And they shall come and shall see my glory,  (19)  and I will set a sign among them. And from them I will send survivors to the nations, to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, who draw the bow, to Tubal and Javan, to the coastlands far away, that have not heard my fame or seen my glory. And they shall declare my glory among the nations…  (22)  “For as the new heavens and the new earth that I make shall remain before me, says the LORD, so shall your offspring and your name remain.  (23)  From new moon to new moon, and from Sabbath to Sabbath, all flesh shall come to worship before me, declares the LORD.  (24)  “And they shall go out and look on the dead bodies of the men who have rebelled against me. For their worm shall not die, their fire shall not be quenched, and they shall be an abhorrence to all flesh.”

 

Today we celebrate the Epiphany of our Lord Jesus Christ.  The Father of Lights sends his Son into the world.  It is from and through Jesus that peace is extended like a river  and the glory of the nations come like an overflowing stream. Today we celebrate the good news of a savior for all nations being revealed to the nations.  A savior not only for the Jews, the Israelites or the children of Abraham but a savior who is the promised blessing to Abraham, his seed through which all nations shall be blessed.

 

On this day we celebrate the Magi coming to visit the One born King of the Jews.  They saw his glory and brought him gifts.  This is the beginning of the gathering of nations and tongues.  Jesus is the sign set before us, Jesus and his cross.  He is the sign that God the Father is at peace and reconciled to the world though all its inhabitants have rebelled against him.  But now that He is reconciled to us, we place our trust in the Son, Jesus who brought us his peace and his glory.

 

From Bethlehem, to Nazareth, the Sea of Galilee, the Jordan valley, Jerusalem to the whole world, Jesus has sent the survivors of the wrath to come to announce the good news and to deliver peoples, nations and tongues that there is salvation, freedom and peace in Christ Jesus.  No one has to suffer God’s wrath, who trust that Jesus has delivered them from it, who trust in Jesus’ work on the cross.  A new heavens and a new earth shall be given to those who trust in Jesus and his salvation.  We shall come before him and worship him and the Father through the Spirit.  But to those who reject this free gift of salvation it isn’t a pretty sight. “For their worm shall not die, their fire shall not be quenched, and they shall be an abhorrence to all flesh.” Don’t be those people.

 

Lord Jesus Christ, you have been set up as a sign to the nations of God’s peace and reconciliation.  May all who hear this good news believe in it that they may be counted amongst the redeemed in the New Creation you have prepared for us.  Amen.

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Rev. Guillaume J. S. Williams, Sr.

The Reverend Guillaume Williams is the Pastor of Hope Lutheran Chapel of Osage Beach, Missouri. His pastoral ministry with Hope began in 2005 where he preaches the Christ crucified.

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