When Is God with Us?

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“ When is God with Us?” 

 

“ Let the griefs, pains and humiliations that come to you help you.  You will hate them, as they always hurt.  But they help you to be near to Christ, and you will be learning not to fear them.  There is the pain of disappointment when some cherished plan has gone wrong, and you are inclined to be bitter and resentful: but let it help you to think more about Christ’s pain and disappointment; then you are nearer to him and it becomes very different…..Be ready to accept humiliations: they can hurt terribly, but they help you to be humble, and to be a little nearer to our humble and crucified Lord.  There is nothing to fear if you are near to our Lord and in his hands.” Glory Descending –Michael Ramsey and His Writings

,Dales.

 

Jan 6 was Epiphany, introducing the season of Epiphany that lasts until Lent. The different Sundays commemorate the “epiphanies” of Christ–that is, the revelations of who Jesus is. First we mark the coming of the Wise Men (the revelation of Christ to the Gentiles); next Sunday we observe the Baptism of Jesus (when the voice from Heaven proclaimed, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased” [Matthew 3:17]); then His first miracle, then His acts of healing, then His acts of sovereignty over nature, culminating in the Transfiguration (when a voice from Heaven again says Him as “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him” (Matthew 17:5). Then begins Lent, as Jesus goes to the Cross. " Taken from Gene Veith, Patrick Henry College

 

Jesus was baptized by John .  It was a “ baptism of repentance.” Luke 3:3  This was not needed for Jesus.  The people certainly had need of this for they were not holy and needed cleansing. But Jesus had no need of this.  Why did He subject Himself to this humility?  “ …that he may hallow the baptismal streams….and they he may beyond all doubt bury the Old Adam beneath the flood.  For he who is both Spirit and Flesh would open, to all that should ever be baptized, the power of grace, whereby we may be born again, of the water and the Spirit…” ST Gregory Nazianus

 

Our humble Lord shows us the way that is the way of the cross even for us His disciples.  When is God with us?  Psalm 139 of course reminds us He is “ acquainted with all my ways.”  This means He is with us in the hardest times of our lives when we do not even see a way forward.  Isaiah 43 tells us , “ Fear not: for I have redeemed thee.  I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.  When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you…”

 

Be ready to accept humiliations.  They can hurt terribly.  They help you to be near to our Lord.  There is nothing to fear if you are near to our Lord.  You are called by His name Isaiah has reminded us.  You are in His hands.  There is nothing to fear.

 

In this Epiphany tide we are His light. 

 

Christopher Wordsworth wrote about it:

“

Songs of thankfulness and praise,
Jesus, Lord, to thee we raise,
manifested by the star
to the sages from afar;
branch of royal David's stem
in thy birth at Bethlehem;
anthems be to thee addressed,
God in man made manifest.

Manifest at Jordan's stream,
Prophet, Priest and King supreme;
and at Cana, wedding guest,
in thy Godhead manifest;
manifest in power divine,
changing water into wine;
anthems be to thee addressed,
God in man made manifest.

Manifest in making whole
palsied limbs and fainting soul;
manifest in valiant fight,
quelling all the devil's might;
manifest in gracious will,
ever bringing good from ill;
anthems be to thee addressed,
God in man made manifest.

 

Sun and moon shall darkened be,
stars shall fall, the heavens shall flee;
Christ will then like lightning shine,
all will see his glorious sign;
all will then the trumpet hear,
all will see the Judge appear;
thou by all wilt be confessed,
God in man made manifest.

Grant us grace to see thee, Lord,
mirrored in thy holy Word;
may we imitate thee now,
and be pure, as pure art thou;
that we like to thee may be
at thy great Epiphany;
and may praise thee, ever blest,
God in man made manifest.   “



Words: Christopher Wordsworth (1807-1885), 1862

 

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