Devotional for January- the month of Epiphany
I love a daily devotional, but I’m not always very good at keeping up with it. So I thought if perhaps I wrote a monthly devotional it would keep me accountable but also allow me, and perhaps others, to focus in on something just for the month. I will work through the lectionary calendar and pick a verse that speaks to me from that month and reflect on it 🙂 AND, if you’re someone who would like to join in, I’d love to get your own reflections as well as a guest writer.
That said, here’s my devotional for January- the month that finds us in Epiphany, the month we celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., the month for new light. (Also I drafted this early in the month but am publishing late- so sorry! Carpal tunnel hit me hard.)
From the Episcopal Lectionary Calendar for January 31st-
“Gospel: Luke 5:1–11
1Once while Jesus was standing beside the lake of Gennesaret, and the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, 2he saw two boats there at the shore of the lake; the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. 3He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little way from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. 4When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, ‘Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.’ 5Simon answered, ‘Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing. Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets.’ 6When they had done this, they caught so many fish that their nets were beginning to break. 7So they signalled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both boats, so that they began to sink. 8But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, ‘Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!’ 9For he and all who were with him were amazed at the catch of fish that they had taken; 10and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. Then Jesus said to Simon, ‘Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people.’ 11When they had brought their boats to shore, they left everything and followed him.”
This reading stands in seemingly direct contrast to the story of Jonah- a man who was told by God to go and minister to Ninevah and resisted. Long story short, Jonah ends up in a whale, out of the whale, goes to Ninevah and is successful and is STILL MAD.
For me, this month in which I will be commissioned, I see these stories in a new light. Over this past year I have actively worked in the space of letting go of my own doubts about my legitimacy of working in this space. I really thought I needed the MDiv and Priest Collar to talk about God to people. So much so that I missed my own calling- until others pointed it out for me. How many times have others more clearly seen what we have in us, than we can see ourselves?
God sees what is in us, God shines the light on our paths. My path won’t be the same as yours and that is ok. But I can tell you this: once I accepted this path it has been as if every other block in my way has cleared. Every set back that I have seen becomes all the more clear is actually a whole other door I had not seen before opening to me. Every friend or loved one that I thought I had lost- it turns out was not mine to begin with at all.
God wins. Love wins. Light wins.
God wins.
