Journeying by Christ’s Light

“Like the Magi, We Journey Forward, Trusting God’s Promise”

January ushers us from the joy of Christmas into the revelation of Epiphany and the promise of a new year. Epiphany is not simply a story about distant magi following a star; it is a reminder that God’s call often interrupts ordinary life, drawing us into journeys we never imagined. The wise men were not seeking adventure, yet the light of Christ compelled them to move—a vivid picture of how God’s grace breaks into our routines and sets us on paths of faith.

This month, Good Shepherd Lutheran Church also stands at a threshold. As I prepare for retirement, and Pastor John concludes his faithful ministry among us, we are reminded that the Church is never static. In Lutheran theology, we speak of vocation—the callings God places before us in every season of life. Retirement does not end our vocation; it reshapes it. Pastor John and I will continue to follow the Light of Christ in new ways, trusting that God’s Spirit is at work in both our lives and in the congregation’s future.

Good Shepherd is beginning the process of calling a new pastor. Just as the magi did not know where the star would lead, we cannot see the full road ahead. Yet Luther taught that faith is living “in the promise,” trusting God’s Word even when the destination is hidden. The light of Christ illumines our path not by removing uncertainty, but by assuring us that God is present in the journey.

The year 2026 will bring change—and with it both hope and anxiety. Still, we remember that Christ is our guiding star, our Emmanuel, God-with-us. As Luther reminded us, we walk not by our own strength but by God’s grace alone. May this Epiphany season inspire us to step forward with courage, confident that the same light which drew the magi now draws us into God’s unfolding future.

May the Light of Christ guide us all into this New Year.

Pastor Harald Bringsjord
Senior Pastor at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church