It was 4:30 in the morning and I was on my way to the airport. I left home in darkness. My headlights reached out a short distance and then were swallowed in the inky blackness.
The view just before arriving at the airport has never left me, though. The world around was still black, but dark outlines of the mountain tops were etched against the brightening sky. A powerful glow in the east announced that the sunrise was coming. The world was momentarily balanced between darkness and light, but it was clear that the darkness was losing the battle. It would soon be swept away by the powerful light of day.
The Old Testament ends with one of the greatest promises ever made found above in Malachi 4:2. Today, blackness remains around us. We struggle. We hurt. It’s not easy. It can seem that the darkness will go on forever.
But God’s promise is clear, certain, and as inevitable as the sunrise. John 1:5 tells us, “the light shines in the darkness.” Yes, it shines “in the darkness” because no power can put it out. Day is coming.
Do you find yourself in darkness at 4:30 a.m. of your life? Look to the mountain tops against the sky. Hang on. Take heart. It’s getting brighter. The “sun of righteousness” is coming. Just a bit longer now, and he will bring healing, freedom, and great joy.
*O, Lord, let me not focus on the darkness around me but the horizon where your light already shines. Help me to believe I will witness it as sure as the sun rises to meet the dawn. Amen.”
Go Deeper — Set your alarm clock for an hour before sunrise. Then go outside, face east, and watch the dawn emerge. Let it remind you of God’s light coming into this dark world, and his illuminating love etching into your situation.
Photo Credit: Johanes Plenio