By the time this article is published, it will be after Christmas Day. For many of us, we will have gathered together in worship on Christmas Eve to adore this child who has come. After finally getting all the Christmas decorations hung—perhaps just in the nick of time!—after singing a few Christmas carols, and perhaps after indulging ourselves in those seasonal delicacies, it may seem as though all the anticipation and preparation of this Advent season will have finally reached its climax. So now what?
Together, the church will continue to celebrate the joy of Christ’s birth for 12 days. Much of the rest of the world will transition from holiday music back to their normal radio stations, and stores filled with Christmas goodies will slowly transition to the next holiday. But in the life of the church, we pause, and take some time to come on bended-knee to worship our Lord in a manger stall.
But even 12 days will fly by pretty quickly. So then, what happens after this season of Christmas? And what does it mean for our lives as we go forth from the manger, having seen this Christ child and having taken a hold of the promises that God has given to us?
As I thought about this question, my mind jumped to the experience of what it might be like to be a parent for the first time. Though, I confess, this is something I haven’t experienced, from friends who have recently had children, I have heard my fair share of stories. Many of them have told me the joys—and the trials—of childbirth, and eventually, have gone on to explain to me that in those sacred moments—even with everything else going on—that time seems to stand still when they hold their child for the first time. But after being in the hospital for a day or so, they all eventually have told me the realization that they have once they get home and are alone with this child: now, it is completely their responsibility to take care of this child.
Of course, these parents—much like any other parent—wants what is best for their child. There’s no question of “if” that child will be nurtured to grow up into the person he or she is to become. But how? Many new parents have told me that, sometimes, figuring out how to care for a newborn isn’t as “second nature” as they were led on to believe.
Having received our Lord and our King on Christmas, one could say that now, we are like those new parents. This child has come, and has been laid before us. Jesus isn’t going away anytime soon. But now, do we pick him up, as any parent would, and nurture him? And nurture our relationship with him?
Unlike the parents I’ve been talking to recently, we do have a choice of if we want to care for this child who’s come into our lives and into our world. We all could move on from Christmas and sum it up to another “nice” season. Or…we could take this child in our arms, and as he grows, develop our own relationship with him—as we learn what it means to offer our love to this child, and as we learn what it means to follow this child as a disciple.
But how we nurture our relationship with this child? Much like parenting isn’t as easy as following a step-by-step manual, our lives of discipleship aren’t as easy as following a step-by-step program. What it means for any one of you to nurture your relationship with Christ as a disciple might mean something different than it means for another. For some of us, in the new year, it might mean a new prayer routine. For others, it might mean offering ourselves in service. For others, it might be more intentional time spent in regular worship. And still for others, it might be a rearranging of our priorities.
Whatever it may be for you, we have the privilege in the coming Epiphany season to take time to nurture our relationship with this child and to grow as his disciples. Much like one wouldn’t wish away those first moments with a child that has been born to us, perhaps we, too, would be wise not to wish these next seven weeks of Epiphany away. Instead, come along, to get to know this one who has come.