The watercolor painted sky in the morning as the sun pierces through the horizon, there is something about the beauty of a sunrise and how it transcends the seasons. In the summer my favorite time to see the sunrise is in the middle of a morning run or bike ride, giving me something to focus on as its beauty reflects upon the changing scenery. In rural Michigan, in late July or early August you can witness what I call the “Bob Evans Sunrise” as the rising sun sets the backdrop behind slightly rolling cornfields, a barn, and silos. In the fall the best time to see the sunrise is on a walk or sitting in the woods during a morning hunt. The stillness of those activities allows you to take in the glow of every changing shade of color. In the winter they’re a little rarer as the cloudy skies block them out for weeks at a time. But when you do get the opportunity, it feels like nothing you’ve seen before – the glistening sparkle of bitter cold as you can see the air you breathe, and the sun you may not have viewed in the days before, makes you feel a little more alive. Then, in the spring, I try to get my hands on as many as possible as the days get longer, the sun rises earlier, and the air gets warmer.
So, I ask, what makes a sunrise such a sight to behold? Could it really just be the colors and warmth of the sun that make it so breathtaking? I don’t think that’s all there is to it. The stillness, silence, and beginning of a new day make it that much more awe-striking. A fresh start, nothing has happened to taint your day just yet, it’s a time to reflect, refresh, and begin anew. It’s a reminder of second chances and new creations. The sunrise, perhaps, is more than a new day and chance to start again, but it’s reminiscent of a different type of “Son”rise that gives new life. Could it be that God gives us a tangible and glorious sight every day to let us remember and reflect upon the most earth shattering and life-changing truth of all: the Gospel. King David seemed to think that the morning declared God’s glory:
Psalm 143:8 - Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life. (commit this verse to memory)
Quite possibly this Psalm was brought to life as Mary went to the tomb… It was still dark as she made her way there. Could her eyes be deceiving her? Maybe the sun was cresting over the horizon as she approached the tomb more closely to verify what she thought was colliding with her retinas. The stone was rolled away… racing back to Peter and John, the sun gave a little more light. The body was gone, strips of linen lay behind and angels in his place. Then, what I picture in my mind, as a shadowy figure drowned out by the bright sun behind him at the entrance of the tomb, was no gardener, but the risen Son of God who called her by name, “Mary…” I have a feeling that’s a sunrise she had never forgotten. A “Son- rise”, as it were, that would be joyfully remembered every morning she watched the sun come up. For the rising of God’s Son, means more than a new day, but a new life, eternal life.
So, as you watch the sunrise in the days ahead, albeit cold, I hope you are filled with a soul-satisfying warmth as you remember and reflect upon what the risen “Son” means for you, both today and forevermore
So, I ask, what makes a sunrise such a sight to behold? Could it really just be the colors and warmth of the sun that make it so breathtaking? I don’t think that’s all there is to it. The stillness, silence, and beginning of a new day make it that much more awe-striking. A fresh start, nothing has happened to taint your day just yet, it’s a time to reflect, refresh, and begin anew. It’s a reminder of second chances and new creations. The sunrise, perhaps, is more than a new day and chance to start again, but it’s reminiscent of a different type of “Son”rise that gives new life. Could it be that God gives us a tangible and glorious sight every day to let us remember and reflect upon the most earth shattering and life-changing truth of all: the Gospel. King David seemed to think that the morning declared God’s glory:
Psalm 143:8 - Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life. (commit this verse to memory)
Quite possibly this Psalm was brought to life as Mary went to the tomb… It was still dark as she made her way there. Could her eyes be deceiving her? Maybe the sun was cresting over the horizon as she approached the tomb more closely to verify what she thought was colliding with her retinas. The stone was rolled away… racing back to Peter and John, the sun gave a little more light. The body was gone, strips of linen lay behind and angels in his place. Then, what I picture in my mind, as a shadowy figure drowned out by the bright sun behind him at the entrance of the tomb, was no gardener, but the risen Son of God who called her by name, “Mary…” I have a feeling that’s a sunrise she had never forgotten. A “Son- rise”, as it were, that would be joyfully remembered every morning she watched the sun come up. For the rising of God’s Son, means more than a new day, but a new life, eternal life.
So, as you watch the sunrise in the days ahead, albeit cold, I hope you are filled with a soul-satisfying warmth as you remember and reflect upon what the risen “Son” means for you, both today and forevermore