The Bright Morning Star

I happened to stay up until 7:30 am on New Year’s Eve, which means I got to see the sun rise. I can’t think of any time in my life when I’ve gotten to watch the entire sun rise…you know, to witness the change from twilight to sun completely up in the sky. Not for an Easter service or anything. So since I was up, and watching the first sun rise of the new year is actually a tradition in the Dominican Republic, I decided, “Why not?” even though the other girls were already sleeping.

On my balcony I was at first amused by the amount of cars pulling up to the side of the road to get a good spot by the sea to watch the sun’s first appearance over the horizon. A marching band came chiming down the sidewalk. Families and friends huddled together in anticipation to watch the sun peak above that turquoise line.

I kept looking at the sky, thinking to myself many times, “This is it. The sun’s about to rise any second now. Get a good look, because this is the prettiest it’s gonna get.” I told you before, this was my first sunrise. Little did I know it takes longer than 10 minutes for it to rise. But as I watched, I couldn’t maintain my surprise as the sky kept transforming into magnificent shades from violet, to coral, to peach. I even noticed that the moon shone so brightly at this time of morning, reflecting radiantly the nearing light of the sun.

And then I had the most beautiful moment I could have ever dreamed of to start 2011. As I gazed into the sky, I recognized God’s craftmanship, how he never paints the same picture twice, how he keeps surprising us with his glory by showing us more and more than we could have imagined possible. My breath was literally being stolen away from me as I watched John 12:46 take place before my very eyes:

I have come as a light to shine in this dark world, so that all who put their trust in me will no longer remain in the dark.

Can’t you just see how he just chases away the darkness? That where he is present, he can’t help but shine radiantly? And at that moment, I was jealous of the moon, for I wanted to reflect the Son with as much splendor—small, compared to the space around it, but shining brilliantly in the midst of a wakening indigo sky:

I’ve always known that God best communicates his glory to me through nature, which probably explains why all these verses from Scripture kept popping into my head as I fixed my gaze on his canvas before me, a reminder of his faithfulness:

“Let us acknowledge the LORD;
   let us press on to acknowledge him.
As surely as the sun rises,
   he will appear;
he will come to us like the winter rains,
   like the spring rains that water the earth.”

                              --Hosea 6:3

And while watching all the people near the coast, in eager expectation for this display of radiance, I wondered, “What would it be like if all God’s people waited on Him like this?” Think about it. Everyone, confidently, patiently, excitedly, coming together to celebrate His rising to conquer darkness. With music, and cheers, and gasps.

As the sun started to make it’s way up into the sky, it was like God echoing his words from Revelation 22:16 for those with ears to hear, “I am the bright morning star.” Jesus, our true morning star, rising from the grave to conquer death so that we might experience His glory with Him forever. Glory. Amen.