In the gray pre-dawn hour of the day, as I shuttled sleepy younger siblings along to my daughter’s school drop-off, an indignant question came to me from the backseat of my minivan.
“Mom, why is it still dark?” (Insert angry emoji here). My 3-year-old son clearly did not appreciate being roused at such an early hour to ride along for a task that had nothing to do with him or his personal to-do list which really only includes snacks and toys.
“Mom – why is it still dark?”
“Well son, it is still dark because the sun has not risen yet. But do you notice the light? Notice that it is not as dark as it once was at midnight. The world around us is gray and dim, but not in total darkness. My son, those are the rays of the coming sunrise, peeking past the horizon, making their way to where we are. They are the promise of the coming daytime. Right now it is still dark, but the day is coming!”
As I spoke to my son about the coming sunrise, the Spirit spoke to me about the coming kingdom.
God’s Word tells us that Jesus has gone to heaven to prepare a place for us. He promises that He will come back and bring us to be with Him forever! Moreover, Jesus is bringing His heavenly kingdom to meet with the earth, to make everything new – and never to be separated again! My heart longs for that promised day – that coming sunrise. Does yours?
If you have ever looked around you, and asked, “Why is it still dark,” I know that you do long for that day when there will be no more pain, no more grief, no more broken relationships or aging bodies.
Can I invite you to something? I invite you to train your eyes to see the faint rays of light making their way over the horizon. The day is gray – it is no longer midnight! Jesus came to earth around 2000 years ago proclaiming the arrival of His kingdom! A light has dawned in this dark and dreary land. A hope has emerged – a hope that does not put you to shame when you choose to trust it!
What are these rays of light, these clues pointing to evidence of the coming kingdom sunrise? If you have seen the fruit of love grow in your heart, if you have seen joy arise despite circumstance, if you have experienced peace that passes understanding…patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control…these are the evidence of the Holy Spirit paving the way and making straight the highways for the coming King!
Allie
