We could not hide. God found us once again. God found us in Cotuit among the snowstorm and shopping extravaganza. God found us among the cooking and creating over the holidays. God found us in the kitchen and on the corner. The baby was born in a barn, to be the king for the lowly, the downtrodden, the hurting, the ostracized, the outcast. Bringing the message of Immanuel, God With Us. Making sure that we are not alone. Immanuel, God With Us. Making sure that those who oppress, trod on, hurt, ostracize, or cast out know that God is there with them too. God came to all of us as a tiny baby, a tiny star in the universe of life. Isaiah basically says, “Buck up little camper! I’m a new dawn! When you see me you will be radiant! When the nations see it they will be drawn like a magnet! Arise, shine, for your light has come.”

Scholars believe that the Book of Isaiah is really a collection of three or more authors. The first is from the Zion tradition, which held God as the great king of heaven and earth, and Jerusalem as the king’s royal dwelling place. The second is a more democratic view, still seeing God as the great king, but not centralizing God in Jerusalem. The Third Isaiah is similar to the second, but is writing not from Babylon where the exiles were, but from the land of Judah. The ancient Israelites, being prophesied to by this Third Isaiah, were living under oppression in the land of Judah. And here’s the issue. The Israelites’ return from exile was not anywhere near as glorious as Second Isaiah has predicted. In fact, it seemed to be getting worse. Even though the temple, the center of their faith and the home for God, was being rebuilt, those darn Pagans were taking over again – doing their rituals and living against the way that the Israelites understood God’s commands. Things were not looking as rosy as the people were hoping.

But, God found the Israelites and sent Isaiah to give them a message. This Isaiah brings that message, “Rejoice!  Bask in the glory! It’s a new dawn! You will see it and you will be radiant! When the nations see it, they will be drawn like a magnet. Arise, shine, for your light has come.” When God found the Israelites again, that was the message.

God found the Israelites just like God found us. And God found the wise men too. God sent the message to the Persian Zoroastrian magi. In the great Christmas story, they could easily represent the nations outside of the land of Judah who were living against the way that the Israelites understood God’s commands. They were astrologers from Persia, interpreting life through the stars, so when they saw the star shining, they just had to find out what the message was. Today we know that some stars are magnetic. They have a magnetic charge that emanates from the north and south poles of the stars, and the energy that connects the two poles creates bowed-out lines like a golden pumpkin around the star. The big, round shining message the wise men got was this, “Yoo-hoo, Wise Men!  It’s a new dawn! You will see it and you will be radiant! Arise, shine, for your light has come.” And those wise-men-nations were drawn like a magnet, bringing gifts to the new dawn.

God found the Israelites. God found the wise men.  God has found us again.  God finds us every day, no matter how good or bad we believe our lives are.  Like those Israelites, there are things in my life that are not going as rosy as I’d like. I was certain when my son got his license, I’d be a little more free for my studies. Not so. I was certain when my daughter moved to college I would have less ‘teenage therapy’ to provide. Not so.  I thought by now I would have newly remodeled kitchen and living room.  Not so.  But, God continues to find me and sends me the message, “Arise, shine, for your light has come.”  So I practice taking that light and shining it on the circumstances of my life, and it suddenly looks a bit rosier. 

How about you? Are there things that aren’t so rosy? Maybe your job is uncertain. Maybe your relationships are uncertain. Maybe your finances are uncertain. Maybe your future is uncertain. We can get lost in that uncertainty, but God came as a tiny baby and will stay with us as he grows into adulthood and carries our difficulties to the cross – our light has come. That’s for certain.  God found the Israelites.  God found the wise men. No matter where we are, God will find us. Of that I am certain.

“Arise, shine for your light has come.” God, the baby king, is a magnet drawing us closer. It’s a new dawn. It’s also a new year – 2010. How are we going to arise and shine to meet the new dawn?  What path will be illuminated as this new dawn breaks? Perhaps it’s a new idea that you’d like to follow, a new job, a new hobby, a new outlook? Maybe it’s an idea about the downtrodden or outcast that can make life better for them. Maybe it’s a word of encouragement to someone who is feeling low. Perhaps you’d like to learn more about the Bible.  Perhaps you’d like to clear out some of the clutter in your closets?  (By the way, I’d be happy to take any coats or warm winter gear to the StreetReach homelessness education event on Saturday.)  Or perhaps clear the clutter of your calendar?  There are lots of ways we can resolve to allow the light of God to shine out of that new dawn.  It just takes listening for that Immanuel message, and responding in kind.

What is the message that God is sending? I am with you. I will arise upon you, and my glory will appear over you. Today we celebrate communion. It’s a reminder that God is with us. We take this sacred bread and cup, and we remember Jesus. We remember that he is with us, and by taking this bread and cup into our very beings, our lights are fueled and we can arise and shine, and walk with God into the new dawn. Thanks be to God for God’s Immanuel light that holds us and strengthens us. Amen.