Thought for the Day - Wednesday 19 August

 

Thought for the Day – Wednesday 19^th August

‘The sun will rise over us from heaven, to shine on those sitting in darkness and in the shadow of death; to guide our feet into the way of peace.’ (Luke 1: 78-79)

 

I can certainly say that Graham and I could not have been more fortunate these last two weeks while on holiday in Largs - what wonderful weather we had with the temperature above 24 degrees on many a day – it felt as hot as being abroad - but as they say who needs to go far from home with such sunny weather and such beautiful landscapes here in Scotland. Only thing is Largs is such a popular wee town that it made it quite busy at times with all the day trippers which is good for all the local businesses but not so good for the social distancing! However, thankfully by now we know loads of quiet walks and each day managed to avoid the throngs and get a little shade at times too – which is always good for someone like me who is allergic to sunshine!!

 

The wonderful thing about all that sunny weather though was that it resulted in some truly wonderful dawns ….and yes I did see the dawn most days! Dawns always feel so special. It is as if they hail a new day full of promise and opportunity, a fresh day, a fresh start, a new beginning – another God-given day set out before us.

 

Our passage today is some of the words spoken by Zechariah on the birth of his son John the Baptist as he talks of him coming to prepare the way for Jesus and his words hold some of those ideas of wonder and joy and hope and promise associated with a wonderful dawn, with the dawning of new day. This time though it is not the dawn which heralds such wonder, joy, hope and promise but rather Jesus himself.

 

Jesus was the one who came to bring joy where there was sorrow, hope where there was despair, love where there was hatred, and peace where there was division and he came to bring the possibility of such renewal in every human life – where our sorrow is turned to joy and our despair to hope, and our hatred to love, and our divisions to peace. Zechariah feels the only way to compare such a change being possible in our lives through coming to know Jesus is to compare it to the rising of the sun – a wonderful new dawn in our lives!

 

New dawns are spectacular, and knowing Jesus in our lives can be spectacular too!

 

It means we are given a fresh start each and every new day, and though sometimes darkness may seem to threaten us once again, just as darkness comes at sunset at the close of day, we know this sun called Jesus will rise each and every day and will never set, for it will go on shining for us for eternity offering us that possibility for renewal in our lives. 

 

So cherish each new dawn and as you think of the new beginnings and fresh start and the wonderful possibilities and opportunities that day may hold, cherish also the new beginning given to us in Jesus.

 

Prayer

 

Loving Lord,

We thank you that you have come to us like a new dawn, bringing new possibilities and a new beginning to our lives. We thank you that by your tender mercy the Sun has risen into heaven to shine on all who live in darkness and in the shadow of death, and to guide our feet into the way of peace. In your name we pray. Amen.