Epiphany
Celebration of God
Manifested in the World
February 13, 2015

 Scripture Reading: 2 Corinthians 4:3-6

For we do not proclaim ourselves; we proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and ourselves as your slaves for Jesus’ sake. For it is the God who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness’, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.  — 2 Corinthians 4:5-6

 The use of the word “slave” conjures up visions of people being forced to work against their will toward the prosperity of another. Paul’s use of the word with the defining “your” expresses the voluntary nature of his servitude based on his burning desire to enrich others through spiritual prosperity. These others may not even know they have such a slave. Kayla Mueller, the young humanitarian aide who was recently killed by ISIS in Syria, was another voluntary slave in the quest for wholeness, oneness, and justice in our world. Her light truly shone out of darkness. Her death is a call for all of us to let our lights shine out of darkness.

Prayer: Let a moment of silence speak for lives that shined and a lifetime of  action speak for keeping the light aglow.  Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights reserved.