Today is Epiphany! It is the day that we celebrate the visit of the three Magi, or wise men, to the baby Jesus. Epiphany is the manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles represented by the wise men as described in Matthew 2:1-12 (ESV). The story of Epiphany has many lessons that we need to learn on the journey to gaining wisdom in the application of God’s Word to our lives.
E – Embrace the journey.
The wise men saw His (the Messiah’s) star in the East and made a decision to make the trip so that they could worship Him. These educated men recognized the significance of His birth. Undaunted by the length or the difficulty of the trip, they prepared and embarked on a journey that one source says took about 70 days. We need to follow their example and seek the Lord to worship Him. Our journey to Him involves spending time in the Word and prayer getting to know Him as Lord and Savior in a personal relationship.
P – Plan time for the journey.
If I don’t designate a specific time to spend seeking the Lord, it doesn’t happen. My days and calendar fill too easily leaving no time for the pursuit of a relationship with God and learning from His divine wisdom. The first and most important appointment added to my calendar each week is my devotional time for Bible study and prayer. It is a commitment to be honored and kept.
I – Invest in resources for the journey.
Seeking the Lord and becoming wise does not just happen. It doesn’t have to be an expensive venture but there are some basic tools to facilitate the journey. A good study Bible is the most important tool. My personal favorite is The New Inductive Study Bible. It contains historical and contextual information as well as instruction on how to pursue studying the Bible. Other tools that I use include a Bible dictionary, a journal to record my discoveries as well as questions to research further, a devotional or Bible study book/plan, pens, and highlighters.
P – Prepare to seek Him and His wisdom.
We need to prepare our hearts, minds, and environment for our time to seek Him. I have found that preparation for my time with the Lord has varied greatly through the years. When I was a young mother, I kept my study items in a basket that I could store high enough that my Bible did not become a coloring book but easily retrieve during the boys’ nap time. As the mother of teens, I used a tote bag and took advantage of the time spent waiting while my boys participated in sports practices. Now that I am an empty-nester, I keep a basket next to a comfortable chair for my morning quiet time before starting my work for the day.
Regardless of where I choose to seek Him, my time follows a simple pattern. I start with a prayer thanking God for the privilege of approaching Him and asking Him to reveal through His Word what I need to hear for this day, spend time reading a passage of Scripture, answer questions relating to a specific Bible study or make simple notes of what spoke to me, and end with a prayer that God will help me to apply the Word to my life and asking for the needs on my prayer list.
H – Have a plan for the journey.
Through the years, my plan of action for studying the Word has varied according to the season of life and my current needs and interests. I have used Bible studies and guides including books by Kay Arthur, Elizabeth George, Lysa TerKeurst, and many others. Bible reading plans with themes for Easter, Lent, Advent, etc. are also helpful tools. This year, I am reading through The Daily Bible in Chronological Order. I make notes of recurring phrases that lead me to deeper study later.
A – Acknowledge the need for wisdom.
As I look at our world today, I see a lot of people “who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight!” (Isaiah 5:21) Our human wisdom is often faulty, tainted with our personal experiences and biases. I find that I often lack the wisdom I need to deal with situations, but I know I can rely on God for the wisdom that I need. James 1:5 tells us “But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.”
N – Nothing is accomplished without effort.
Daily time in the Word and prayer requires commitment. Distractions bombard us in today’s world. Paul instructs the Corinthians to “do whatever will help you serve the Lord best, with as few distractions as possible” (1 Corinthians 7:35b). We would be wise to follow that instruction. We need to make every effort to focus our efforts on seeking Him despite the distractions of the world around us. Only when we seek to know Him are we able to discern His purpose for our lives.
Y – You must choose the journey for yourself.
I am sure that the star described in Matthew 2 was visible to more people than those that came to visit the Christ child. However, only a few made the choice to make the journey and to seek Him so they could worship Him. God is calling us today to make the spiritual journey to seek Him and learn from His wisdom, but each of us is responsible for our own response. Will you choose to seek Him?
As the sun sets on this day of Epiphany celebrating the wise men’s journey to Jesus, let us renew our commitment to make the spiritual journey toward a relationship with Jesus the Messiah. May this new year be one of seeking Him for the purpose of worshipping Him and learning from Him.
Thank you for letting me share my heart!
