Today’s breakfast TV news shattered the wonderfully ‘Brexit-free’ broadcasts of late. Timeout from the sticky saga of Britain trying to extract itself from the EU is now over as politicians return to duty. Whatever your particular views on Brexit, mass confusion reigns.

Yesterday, the 12^thday of Christmas, Epiphany, is when we remember the Wise men visiting Jesus, who flees for refuge in Egypt, escaping the murderous terror of King Herod. Traditionally Christmas decorations come down after Epiphany, but the reality it celebrates is constant, Christ has come to stick & stay with us, through thick & thin. Christ is for life, not just for Christmas! As Brexit mist mixed with my breakfast cereal & coffee I had a light-bulb, epiphanic moment – ‘BreXmas!’

Sometimes people sign their Christmas messages & cards with a shortened ‘Xmas’ and very easily that ‘X’ becomes a question mark ‘?’, Christ replaced by family, food, material goods, leisure, or whatever we prefer. I suspect many get to and through Xmas wondering ‘What was that all about!?’

We lose sight of what Christmas is all about when ‘X’ marks the spot and likewise we lose sight of what BreXit should be all about when we fail to recognise Christ as ‘In Charge, Lord of All’. I’ve been at a loss what to pray for national leaders in relation to Brexit, beyond wisdom and consideration for all it will affect, including the money-makers & poorest in our society, plus our fellow Europeans & neighbours around the World.

Those who believe Brexit is the devil may find this hard to entertain, but praying for Christ to be allowed to influence and guide with his beatitudes (spiritual poverty, peace-making, etc), manifesto of freedom for all (Luke 4), and echo of Micah, “God has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”

‘BreXmas’ has become my prayer, praying for all of the above, and for the ‘X’ of Christmas to be recognised as our true Saviour, Lord, Leader & King, the One who will lead us through all difficulty & darkness that may ensue. I won’t go so far as to wish you a ‘Merry BreXmas!’ but for all who have faith in Jesus Christ as Saviour & Sovereign of the Universe, this is an encouragement / challenge to see and pray for Jesus to be at the heart of all that’s going on right now, not just in Britain & The EU, but around the World.

The lasting legacy of Christmas is ‘God With Us’. May your 2019 be ‘Epiphanic’, filled with experiences of Jesus at work in your life, neighbourhood, nation’s life and world.