Arriving is important. A new year arrives. Amazon packages arrive. Southwest Airlines flights arrive—sometimes. And Jesus arrived when he was born in Bethlehem.
Arriving is important, but more important is appearing.
If your Amazon package arrives but nothing appears inside the empty box, something’s wrong. If your Southwest plane arrives at your departure gate, but a new crew for your flight doesn’t appear, um, sorry about that.
If Jesus arrives in our world, but stays hidden, undercover, and low profile he’s only as good as an empty Southwest plane sitting on the tarmac. There’s no such thing as a secret Savior. No way. Jesus didn’t just arrive. Jesus appeared.
Jesus opened the box to show himself as the gift delivered from heaven for every sinner.
Jesus performed miracles and healings, and calmed storms that Southwest Airlines can’t, to show that he’s God and has power over all schedules, all travels, all plans and dreams and ultimately our flight to heaven after we die (hopefully not while waiting in airport).
After Christmas, churches around the world celebrate Epiphany, which means “appearance.” Jesus showed up, not just as a baby in a manger but as the Son of God and Savior of the world.
He appeared into his life and work of saving sinners. “Now Jesus himself was about thirty years old when he began his ministry” (Luke 3:23).
PRAYER: You arrived, Jesus, and then appeared. There’s no such thing as a secret Savior. Fill me with your presence, so that my faith in you is less secret and shows up just like you. Amen.
FURTHER MEDITATION: How’s your 2023 getting started? Are you just arriving in 2023? Are you here only because the calendar turned, or here with clarity of your baptism in action? How can you appear to others as Jesus appears to you?
