JANUARY EPIPHANIES

I often reflect on the numerous ‘epiphanies’ in my life, from as far back as I can remember.
Those ‘aha’ moments I recall have been turning points in my life.

From an early age I pivoted my thoughts and actions according to various epiphanies or ‘aha’ moments.

I recall my first epiphany in grade school.  I was slogging through long division, thinking it to be cumbersome.

Then my father taught me a ‘shortcut.’

Freedom!

I thought I was so clever.

After all, some of these ‘problems’ could be solved in my head or at least far more quickly than with loooooong division.

One problem.  

The teacher was not pleased.  She wanted me to understand the ‘deeper complexities’ of numbers. 

Oh well.

On to the next epiphany.

Throughout my life I considered my thinking to be slow, methodical. 

I tend to evaluate, to examine a challenge from every angel, sort of like the turning of a Rubik’s Cube as the colors are progressively worked to match on each of its six sides.

This tendency to deeply examine conundrums, questions, challenges eventually drew me into the arms of Jesus Christ.

Who is this person so many of my friends were telling me about?

Why did I not understand this during the years of Sunday school I attended?

Why did I reject God completely when I was ten years old?

What drew me back into the Lord’s precious presence as an adult?

Religious epiphanies began in college.  Christian movies caught my heart.   I visited a few churches but was unimpressed. 
 I think it was one Easter when I ventured into a church only to hear that ‘hypocrites’ are those who go to church only on Easter and Christmas.  “OK”, my soul said to me, “ Since I’m a hypocrite, I guess I’ll stay away from church.”

And so I did for about a decade.

That experience did not keep my soul from wondering, from seeking answers.  My “question bank” was getting pretty full.

Tiny epiphanies of faith, hope and love were embedded in my soul, like tiny golden arrows that carried diamond-tough gems of understanding.

Little Epiphanies, small ‘aha’ experiences, silent nods of affirmation from God . . . sent through acquaintances, friends and relatives continued to envelope me.

Read, ask questions, explore, seek, dig hard, ask more questions . . . 

An invitation to a lovely luncheon was a wonder-filled epiphany for me.

The women, all flight attendants like myself, were beautiful, joy-filled, loving, affirming and delight-full.

Old hymns I’d heard in church as a child filled my soul.

Invitations for lunch or conversation from these new friends were plentiful.

One of these women became a trusted friend.  Even though her schedule was beyond busy with her new husband and her Master degree studies, she took time to answer my myriad of questions at all hours of the day and night.  She took me to interesting seminars and Christian gatherings that filled my soul with new ‘epiphanies’. 

 She invited. 

I said “yes.” 

 Nothing further was asked of me.

You’d think I would jump at the chance to become a Christian but the weekly meetings with a gracious group of flight attendants simply enhanced my methodical, evaluative seeking. . . for several months. 

One day my girlfriend had her own epiphany.  

It was time.  

Even though she had to study for an exam the next day, she was determined to move me forward to accept Jesus Christ as God.  

She shared the ‘Four Spiritual Laws, from a tiny little pamphlet, that could guide me through the process of saying “yes” to Christ.

1. God loves you and created you to know Him personally
2. Man is sinful and separated from God so we cannot know God personally or experience His love.
3. Jesus Christ is God’s only provision for man’s sin.  Through Him alone we can know God personally experience God’s love.
4. We must individually receive Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord; then we can know God personally and experience His love.     4laws.com 

I listened intently and then was dumbstruck.  Not once in hours of reading scripture did I see the words, “Jesus Christ is God.”  

I stopped cold.

"That statement needs deep evaluation," said my brain.

She then asked if I could accept the ‘theory’ that Jesus is God and the ‘theory’ that the Holy Spirit comes from God.  Indeed, that is why Christians believe the triune God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

I chose to accept the theory because I was curious.  If I could accept this ‘theory’, not fact, that Jesus is God, trusting that, if this were true, the Holy Spirit could guide me, I felt I’d have a little soul-help to turn this ‘theory’ into my own personal truth.  

Epiphany!

Too often we accept theories as truth.  

I was a mathematical person.

A theory is a theory until it is proven that it is a ‘truth.’

Indeed, after slogging through scripture and asking God to show me what I must see to believe in the Truth, that Jesus Christ is God, I had a very quiet epiphany while sitting at the table studying.

Just me and God.  

Nothing wild and crazy.

Just a deep-in-my-soul aha moment.

A quiet knowing . . .  peace in my heart.

Nice.

I phoned my step-mom who had been praying for nine years that I’d come to know Christ Jesus in a personal way.

Her quiet voice said, “That’s very nice.  How did this happen?”  

I gave her a two minute run-down of my six month adventure and that was that.  She expected nothing more.

Little did she know how profoundly this epiphany would

grab my mind, heart, will, soul, entire self.

It’s been forty years since this great epiphany and further epiphanies, turning points, have not ceased.

First, I simply sharing my story with those who had been praying for me.  They directed me to more opportunities to learn . . .  more epiphanies.

I continued in my current occupation, traveling all over the world, experiencing myriad epiphanies as I met Christians from Kenya to Sydney.  

The world got bigger for me.  

Epiphanies, too numerous to count, bloomed in front of me.

My career has changed many times and moved me into software development, then marriage and then into full time ministry.

Now, as I slow down a bit, others’ epiphanies open my heart and mind as I listen to their stories . . .  their journey.

The season of Epiphany in January does not end this

month.

Nor does ‘epiphany’ end when we begin the season of Lent.

Epiphanies, aha moments leading to turning points, will continue throughout the rest of my life as I seek daily understanding of how God is directing me . . .  into the next . . . 

Epiphany!

Aha moment

Turning point

Love it!