When The Sunrise Visits Us From On High

One of the things I enjoyed when I worked in the cafe' was hearing people's stories. I didn’t always know their name only their story that was revealed little by little each time they come. It happened once when with a lady who was having lunch with her sister. As they were leaving the woman mention how her sister had been very near death nine months earlier. Her sister came back the next week and told me more of her story.

She told me how she had spent twenty three days in intensive care. She was in and out of consciousness and was not expected to live. She told me about how helpless she had been unable to do anything for herself. She had been a Christian for many years yet while she was in ICU not only was she unable to physically do anything for herself she was not even able to pray. As she was coming back into consciousness she heard God speaking to her. He said, "I am for you, even when you cannot be for yourself." She told how the realization of God's tender mercy had changed her life  and brought her a great deal of peace.

I have been thinking about her experience for days. I think it is a beautiful picture of what God did for us at Christmas when He sent His Son. Zechariah's prophecy after the birth of John the Baptist reflects this. "And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; 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 the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace”(Luke 1:76-69).

She spoke of her illness as a gift that showed her God's mercy and had brought her to a place of peace she had never known before.  We talked about how God gives us grace in that He gives us what we don't deserve and how in His mercy he withholds the punishment our sins deserves but there is so much more to His mercy. Another translation for God's mercy is lovingkindness. God lovingkindness offers us a place of rest. "How excellent is Thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of Thy wings”(Psalm 36:7).

The truth of God's mercy and grace don't change but I think my understanding changes as I go through different experiences. When I was a little girl I was filled with wonder that God would become a baby and be born in a manger. Now as I think of God's lovingkindness towards me I am filled with awe. Though I haven't been through a life threatening illness the message that He is for me even when I cannot be for myself fills me with gratitude.

Lord Jesus, truly you are the sunrise from on high who has shone on us in our darkness. Thank you for guiding us in the way of peace and letting us rest under the shadow of your wing. Oh yes and thank you that even when we could do nothing to bring about our salvation You came and did for us what we could not do for ourselves.