Epiphany 2 Every Next Moment

[HKHaugan]

Epiphany 2 Every Next Moment

Robert Redford played in a movie back in 1972 called The Candidate. In it he was a man who was able to speak his mind honestly and publicly. A local political party picked him up and made him a candidate. He was immediately booked with speaking engagements.

But, the party also engaged a consultant to groom him. As he moved on in meeting after meeting the consultant began to tell him what to do and say. The grooming was so thorough that the honesty and directness of his remarks were lost until one day (near the end of the movie) He turned to the consultant and asked, “What do I say now?” He lost his spontaneity. He lost his freedom. He lost himself. He simply became the thoughts and opinions of others and indistinguishable from them. What he lost was the ability to react honestly in every next moment.

He had been groomed away from what made him so voter-attractive that he was totally dependent on what the consultant and what the party wanted him to be and say. He had succumbed to the party line, which was the law that he had to live up to in order to be part of the party and hold his job. That is the picture of how the devil works through our sin. He exploits our weaknesses, where our fears are closest to the surface, urges us with his spirits of pride and greed, until we compromise with whatever power structure we are in. He takes over in our every next moment.

The very fact that we compromise, that we try to be in control in any moment, that we are willing to shut down our individuality, is proof of sin. Again, as Paul said, the good that he wanted to do he couldn’t and the evil that he didn’t want to do he did. The devil wants to take over our every next moment.

All of this started with Adam and Eve. The devil tempted them to take control of their lives and leave God out of the picture. The lure is to present something attractive that can be seen, guarantee it will satisfy a present perceived need, assure that you will have control and power to maintain it, repeat its false potential and you corner the market in the area desired. Also make sure there is no long-term concern involved since it’s always present satisfaction that is the goal. “It’s now or never,’ ‘get it while you can,’ ‘eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow you may die,” pretty well sum up the devil’s playing to our fears. He wants to take over our every next moment.

Because we don’t know what will happen in every next moment to whom can we turn to handle it? Will we act alone and in fear as the devil wants or repent and turn to the ever-present Redeemer? The question for every human being is this: ‘Who do you want to rule every next moment, God or the devil?

Epiphany is a season that reminds us every next moment has a Savior and a Lord. As Savior, Jesus can save every next moment and through His Holy Spirit give us epiphanies reminding us of His presence and the freedom to let Him be seen as Lord in our every next moment. Our conscious willingness to let Him save those moments through His Spirit and appear in them is His gift for our choice, our decision and our freedom in Him.

The last words of Revelation 22 say it succinctly: “20He who testifies to these things says, "Yes, I am coming soon."
Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
21The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God's people. Amen.

Stay tuned……..