The Sunrise

Early one morning, I looked out my window just in time to see the sun beginning to peer over the horizon. It was a brilliant orange. “This is going to be so nice,” I thought as I prepared to watch the rising of the sun. To my surprise, the sky never filled with radiant reds, oranges, pinks, or purples. It merely remained a dull gray. Even my surroundings seemed unaffected. I looked at the trees which were barely illuminated by the light of the sun. They were so unimpressive, so scraggly and stunted by the pollution around them. As far as I could see was city — red lights, tractor trailers, convenience stores, power lines, and gas pumps. It was not a pretty sight. I realized this is exactly why men pack up and move to the country. When they look out their windows in the morning all the disarray that stood in the way is gone. Only the beauty of creation remains.

So who is it or what is it, really, that man runs to the country to escape from? Is it the city, or the creator of the city – man? Isn’t he the one who creates all these unsightly things? Yet the sun rises day after day shining gloriously on the good and the bad alike, without partiality. Man runs from man and yet the Creator of man does not run from man. Just like the sun, our Creator shines warmly and brilliantly, faithfully, day after day upon man. Nor does He only show His faithfulness to the righteous, waiting for the day when the unrighteous will be out of the way. No! He is there day after day revealing Himself (through the glory of His creation) to all. 

Just as the rays of the sun reach out to warm the earth, so He is reaching out to warm the heart of man, His greatest creation. Man was the one who was created to bear His image, the one who was created to reflect the glory of his Creator. He was meant to have a glory that would outshine the sun. But man runs away from his Creator when he shuns the voice of his conscience. He exchanges the truth of God in him for a lie.

The prophets long ago foretold of the days when a people would form on the earth whose love and unity would show forth the glory of their Maker. A great dawning is about to take place, such as the world has never seen. It is starting within the heart of men, among brothers and sisters who dwell in unity, who reflect the glory and the love of their Maker and Redeemer, shining like the stars in the universe. 

The dawning of this day is what will redeem the earth. There is no hope for the earth apart from the heart of man turning toward the heart of his Creator, becoming a new creation, and bearing His image. Whenever you feel the warmth of the sun, just remember: He wants to fill your heart with His warmth, His glory. It is not mystical. Just like the sun rising every day, His love shines forth in a people dwelling in unity. His love will fill the earth. It is what Yahshua, the great Emancipator, prayed for. It is what He died for. His resurrection proves that it was possible. Now that He has justified us, He needs a people to justify Him by the way they love one another and the world He loves. (Luke 7:29-30) He would not have done it if it were not possible.