Wednesday, December 16, 2015

The SON of righteousness



“But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.”-Malachi 4:2

Simple fact, without the sun, we would all die. You don’t have to be an A+ student in physical science to understand this.  The Suns importance relative to the Earth (and really our whole solar system) is paramount.  If the Sun ceased to burn today, the temperature here on Earth would be zero degrees Fahrenheit by Friday; and in a year’s time it would be negative one hundred degrees Fahrenheit.  We depend on it for heat, for light, we mark time by it; our seasons and weather patterns are driven by the Sun (in conjunction with the movement of the Earth).  Literally, our entire world revolves around the Sun.  The Suns mass accounts for 99.8% of our galaxy, we totally depend on this gigantic star for light and life.  Truly, the rising of the Sun marks the rising of life. 
Even if you are not an early riser by nature, everyone should enjoy a sunrise at least once in their life.  There is something serene and beautiful about watching the world wake up.  In just a few short minutes, the world transforms from darkness to life.  It metamorphs from a quiet, dark, cold, and bleak state; to one that is teeming with life and light.  The promise of the future, gifted to each creature as the great light slowly climbs higher and higher in the sky, ushering in the birth of a new day and new opportunities.  The deer begin to forage, birds take flight, squirrels leave the trees, flowers open their petals; creatures from small to great open their eyes and stretch their sinus, prepared to respond to the call of the rising sun.  It is the conductor of a victorious symphony of life, calling out to each one of us saying “another day is here, let us rejoice and be glad in it.”  We have been gifted another day, we have been gifted life here on Earth; the light of the rising Sun marks this for us.  Without it we would parish and be in darkness, lost to the cold vastness that permeates the Universe.  A cold unknown that the Sun shields us from with its triumphant heat.  When the Sun rises, and the world awakes, it banishes the darkness, and brings life once more to Earth.

I imagine by this point you have seen the analogy coming a mile off.  If we pay attention, the natural world (through the grace of God) can teach us of the spiritual world.  As the Sun is to the Earth, so the Son is to mankind.  Jesus Christ is the rising Son of righteousness that will arise in your heart with healing and life in his wings.  He will lift up His light of life and banish the darkness of sin out of your very being.  He will drive out the cold, bleak, unknown that is embedded in the innermost chambers of your heart and usher in warmth and comfort.  To them that fear my name the Bible says the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings.  When we fear God and fall at His feet, asking, no begging, for forgiveness and pardon; he grants it.  Further, when we give our all to Jesus and “die out” to our wills, ways, and wishes; the Sun of righteousness arises within and we are wholly bent and totally aware of our absolute necessity of this Jesus.  This Son of God that our entire world revolves around.  He is the Son of righteousness, He is Christ our Savior, He is the Emmanuel; God with us.  The rising Son brings light, life, and comfort to our darkness within.  It grants us the blessing of being keenly aware that we are His, and His people.  It allows us the confidence to go forth for Him and in His name, and it teaches us each day so that we may grow up in the Lord (no matter what age you are).  The rising Son is righteousness to the sin sick soul.  It is the life to our world.