Sunrise

 Day 14: Sunrise

This is part of what burst from Zechariah after John the Baptist was born and he agreed that his name will be John. Then he was filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke these words for the first time since the angel spoke to him to tell him about John the Baptist birth. 

“And you my child….” is referring to John the Baptist. Just beyond that though, Jesus is called the “sunrise (who) shall visit us from on high.”

Luke 1:76-79

English Standard version:

And you, child will be called the prophet of the Most Hight; 

For you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, 

To give knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of their sins

Because of the tender mercy of our God,

Whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high

To give light to those who sit in darkness

And in the shadow of death,

To guide our feet into the way of peace.

Think about what happens when the sky lights up with the sunrise. It breaks the night, ends the darkness. It signals the start of a new day. The sun doesn’t just pop up yellow, it shows hints of glorious colors as it comes over the horizon. It often stops us to stand in awe. I’d say all of those things are true when Jesus rises in our lives. When Jesus came into our lives, he promised light. There is no longer a fear of death hovering over us because to be absent here is to be alive in heaven. And his word, his presence, his spirit is a light to our path, our feet are fitted with peace. 

Lets listen to this verse in a few translations and think on what Jesus has done in your life:

Luke 1:78-79

King James Version:

Through the tender mercy of our God:

Whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us, 

To give light to them that sit in darkness

And in the shadow of death, 

To guide our feet into the way of peace. 

New Living Translation:

Because of God’s tender mercy, 

The morning light from heaven is 

About to break upon us, 

To give light to those who sit in darkness

And in the shadow of death, 

And to guide us to the path of peace.

The dayspring. The morning light. The sunrise. 

Lets end with this prayer:

Psalm 90:12-17

So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.

Return, O Lord! How long?

Have pity on your servants!

Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, 

That we may rejoice and be glad all our days. 

Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us, 

And for as many years as we have seen evil. 

Let your work be shown among your servants, 

And your glorious power to their children. 

Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, 

And establish the work of our hands upon us; 

Yes, establish the work of our hands!