“The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day.” Proverbs 4:18
Several years ago I and many other family members would take an annual trip to Ocean Lakes Campground during the month of October. As often as I was able, I would rise early enough in the morning to catch the sunrise on the beach. This was most definitely not an easy task for me because by nature I am not a super early riser. Additionally, my current work schedule is a late one so sunrise usually occurs during the mid part of my sleep cycle. However, the mornings I was able to pull it off were always worth the grumblings it took to drag myself out of bed and out of the camper.
It is an amazing and beautiful thing to watch the day awaken around you. Even before the sun peeks over the horizon, you can see the darkness begin to scatter about and become overtaken by the light spreading around you. Dim though it may still be, after the deep blackness of night it is inviting, comforting, and infused with a promise of warmth and hope. Then as the full orb of light appears, the horizon bursts with a golden glow. Slowly it continues it ascent increasing in such brightness that you can no longer look directly into it, although its presence is undeniably all around you.
The memory of the last sunrise I was fortunate to take in at the beach came to me several weeks ago when the above verse from Proverbs was included in my daily devotional reading. These words from Scripture that I had read many times before struck me in a new way that day. I reflected on the beauty of the metaphor found in that small proverb.
A journey with Christ does indeed follow the same arc as a daily sunrise and ascent. Living in the darkness of the world’s environment, someone or something opens one’s eyes and introduces them to a small glimmer of light and hope. Even if that becomes a powerful and life-changing moment for them at the moment, the fullness of knowing Christ does not happen all at once. Just as I described my beach sunrise experience, it comes in stages. Darkness begins to scatter and a dim light begins to spread. Then, as one delves into the reading of Scripture, prayer, and fellowship with other believers the light of Christ and his guidance becomes ever brighter in their life.
Here on earth, we experience the apex of the sun’s ascent and can watch as it descends again throughout the day. This is not true with the rising of the presence of Christ in our lives. Our journey with him is a continuous increase with the noon day fullness only occurring upon our death when enter fully into his presence for eternity. That being said, we can and will have moments when clouds disrupt and cause moments of haziness within our spiritual life. Yet, these clouds cannot completely block out the light of the Son of God. These moments of doubt, fear, worry, anger, or other hindrances in our lives can and will be scattered again if we keep our focus on the light that still shines.
Wherever you may be on your current journey into the rising sun, my prayer is that you continue to follow the path of righteousness, take in that first gleam of dawn and follow it into the full light of day.
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