Jan. 6 Devotions

Epiphany January 6-Ps. 72 is often read as an adjunct to the story of the Magi. Indeed, it is one of our sources for the transmutation of the Magi into kings.Afte rthe sorry spectacle of the fiscal cliff, look at how it judges a proper political regime.this is by no means infrequent in Scripture, and the same themes echo through the years. When have you had an epiphany, when the light bulb went off? How often has that happened?

Monday-Amahl and the Night visitors was an emblem of great TV in the fifties. I love the story of a poor family offering hospitality and the temptation of the riches of the three kings. In the end, as the mother struggles to think of a gift for the child whom the kings seek, Amahl offers his crutch, and in so doing, his leg is healed.I love that healing emerges from his desire to give, even as he has so little. From the outside what small gift could you offer god that from the inside is crucial for your life?

Tuesday-I had a dispute over art, of all things recently.Someone was praising what I thought was over the top emoting in a part. I was accused of having no feelings. That may well be, but I stood my ground. I maintain that art invites us into experience, and lesser art tells us what to feel. It;s the difference between evoking some response and demanding it.

Wednesday-We have our big statistical package to send into the national office  at the end of the month. I find those sorts of chores annoying and time consuming. It is diffiuclt for me, but i do try at times to consider that god is in the details and to try to make a more spirutal offering of tasks that I do not find especially riveting or rewarding.

Thursday-Working on some material in Hosea, I was stunned to see how many serious translation concerns touch the book. Often the different alternatives all make sense.For instance 13:5 gives us that God fed us (Gk)  in the wilderness or that God  knew us (Heb.) in the wilderness. Of course,the meaning is changed, but either one can speak to us fuly in our time,  

Friday -We have a church service this weekend at 3PM at College Ave. Pres. to consider the abomination of human trafficking.I can think of few things more despicable. What are sins that you would come close to considering unforgivable? This is a great of example of soical sin as opposed ot merely individual transgressions, as it depends on a whole structure of activities to allow it to occur and expand routinely.  We often feel helpless in the face of such evil, and my prayer is that we find virtues within and among us to help combat this moral stain.

Saturday-Hospitality in churches has been in discussion  of late. Lately, I am wondering if the issue is misplaced. It is less that we wish to include people but that we desire being part of community at all. Our american individualism militates against a sense of belonging to a group. We want both a sense of belonging and a respect for our privacy.What changes do you have to go through to allow yourself to     part of a group? what are the obstacles you encounter? what is easy and difficult for you in opening up to a group?