December 21 Jesus is the Radiant Dawn: Psalm 19:6-7 (in older Bibles this will be Psalm 18)

Jesus is the Radiant Dawn. How true is that? When we think of Jesus, invariably we must think of Light. He is the Light of the World. When I was selecting an image for today's post, I was tempted to choose a traditional sunrise. Every one is a work of art. My favorite sunrise is one rising above the water. But then, I realized - that's too narrow. Even the one I chose is too narrow. The bible passage for today tells us that the sun rises from one end of the heavens and sets at the other end. It spans everything. It touches everyone. On earth, there are very few places that the sun doesn't touch - the deepest underground caves, anything buried underground and maybe in the very deepest part of the ocean. But even though the sun doesn't touch those places directly, it feeds plants and animals on the surface that can bring food even to the deepest places.

The second verse in today's reading talks about reviving the soul and making the simple wise. I'd like to expand a little on that. When we think of the deepest caves in our hearts and our souls, we must remember that Jesus can penetrate that with His radiant dawn. He can revive the soul and bring wisdom to the lowest. As I reflected on today's symbol, I wondered for a minute why the symbol isn't just the sun. Why the dawn? Why not the sunset? (More people see sunsets than sunrises I would bet) Then, I realized that figuratively, Jesus is the end of our night time. He encourages us to arise from our slumber, to leave the night behind, to face each new day with a bright outlook and new eyes.

Full disclosure - I live in Florida, so I do awake to sunshine almost every day. This post is a little easier for me to write because of that. I used to live in Pennsylvania and awoke to gray skies more often than bright blue ones. My enthusiasm may not be so great if I was staring at a gray sky every day, but when you do have an opportunity to enjoy that sunshine, it's like something grips you. Your soul wants to sing. Your face wants to smile. Your feet want to dance. That's the way it is when Jesus comes to us and turns our night into day.

I've thought of situations where we struggle with seeing the light - even though it is always there. Where are some of those windowless caverns in our lives that make us wonder whether it's day or night? Physically, it could be office buildings where we bury ourselves so deeply in work that we miss the day. We drive to work in the pre-dawn and stay beyond the daylight. What light are we missing? Jesus' light, our families, our friends? What about casinos? I've never been in one in Las Vegas, but I hear that people have no idea if it's day or night inside. What about depression? The darkness envelops those who can't raise their eyes to see the light. Addictions. These can cause our eyes to close and it seems that nothing can shine brightly enough to open them.

There is most definitely hope though. Today's message tells us that nothing is untouched by the heat of the radiant dawn. Nothing. There is nothing that is impossible with God. Just as the sun nourishes the plants that nourish the animals that go into the cave, so does the Son nourish us. Although you can't look at the sun, you can certainly gaze upon everything it touches. Don't live in the shadows. Live in the light.

For all my northern friends reading this, my prayer for you is that no matter how gray (or white!) your day may be, look at everything the light touches. Watch the beautiful snow flakes or the shiny icicles. Each one is a piece of masterful art. If it's too cold to go outside, look at the sunlight in your loved ones eyes. If you are alone, open God's word and bask in its light. For my friends in these warmer climates, look around at everything you enjoy. Watch the birds. Listen to the trees rustling in the breeze. Take deep breaths and enjoy the warmth.

I admit I'm a little guilty of not appreciating what I have. I was a bit disappointed that we were going to reach the mid 80s this weekend and nearly 80 on Christmas day. I wanted a dip in the temperatures to make it feel more like a northern Christmas. My prayer today is to appreciate every minute of what I have. Instead of a warm fire and big dinner, we're going to be grilling steaks and sitting outside enjoying what we have this Christmas. We'll be sharing our time with family and friends. That's what Christmas is all about. Not the weather. I pray that Jesus, the radiant dawn, shines on each of us today and we turn our face toward that warmth and thank Him.