January 2023
Nougat 6
Have you ever experienced a good ‘Come to Jesus’ moment? Today’s Holy Nougat
“There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. So Moses thought, “I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up.” God said to Moses, “I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I am has sent me to you.’ ”” Exodus 3:2-3, 14 NIV
Despite the inaccuracies with connecting exact dates of then with now, a lectionary helps the user to connect with Jesus’ life, witness, death and resurrection over a year. One such tool is the Revised Common Lectionary. And one of the less recognized days (at least for several of us) is Epiphany. Occurring 12 days after December 25, Epiphany ends Christmas season by highlighting the visit of the Magi (Gentiles), who came from the East to see Jesus.
The word epiphany however, is a generic reference to one’s moments of profound revelation: Aha/Come to Jesus moments. On the spiritual side, it genuinely speaks to a direct connection with the Triune God, not only with Jesus. Many, possibly all of us have had them. Not all epiphanies are the same, however, and there’s no limit to when, how or how often we experience one.
The Bible does not record all epiphanies experienced by the characters who walked with God; but for each one mentioned, they are profound life-transformation moments. Some that readily come to mind are Hagar’s meeting God in the wilderness, Jacob’s wrestling with God on his way home, Isaiah’s encounter with in the temple after King Uzziah died. Of course, among them would also be Saul-Paul’s Damascus Road experience and I tend to include the moments when the Trinitarian nature of God was revealed – at Jesus’ baptism and transfiguration (see Matthew 3:17 and 17:5).
Our Nougat presents Moses’ Come back to God moment. The voice of God accompanied by the Fire of God’s Presence would have been a profound epiphany for Moses. Consider. We’ve run away. As far away from God’s Spirit and Presence and the situations that caused us to run in the first place. We alter our lives and even our identity and are off the grid. And while we are out there for some time, perhaps less careful about being recognized, God meets us. In Living Colour!
Given our current understanding of Hell being Fire and Brimstone, would we begin to wonder whether eternity came, or would curiosity overtake common sense? I don’t know what if have done, because this Jamaican is not one of those who runs towards drama as it unfolds (hence my argument that each person’s epiphany differs). But having gone to discern the extent of the threat(cough, cough!), I am confident that I would not have expected to encounter God’s grace. I know that they could have felled Moses with a feather.
But there was God.
Gracious.
Forgiving.
Loving.
Redeeming.
Offering Moses the Way Back.
Here is our God, a few millennia later.
Gracious.
Forgiving.
Loving.
Redeeming.
Offering each of us the Way Back.
Have we had our Come to Jesus moment? How will we respond?
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May all we seek be found in Christ