Hi how are you all today? I am well and have just come back from a road trip with my sisters- first one since we were children- that was many years ago. It was great- lots of reminiscing. Have you ever done that? If yes, I would love to hear of it.
Whilst we were on our road trip, we spent a bit of time in the sun. I was thinking of the verse in Malachi 4:2 and in the Message Bible it states:
4 1-3 “Count on it: The day is coming, raging like a forest fire. All the arrogant people who do evil things will be burned up like stove wood, burned to a crisp, nothing left but scorched earth and ash—a black day. But for you, sunrise! The sun of righteousness will dawn on those who honor my name, healing radiating from its wings. You will be bursting with energy, like colts frisky and frolicking. And you’ll tromp on the wicked. They’ll be nothing but ashes under your feet on that Day.” God-of-the-Angel-Armies says so.
I want to look at the middle part from “but for you sunrise”. Who is the sun of righteousness? I believe this is talking about Jesus. In His earthly life, He honoured His Father God and provided healing wherever there was faith to receive it.
This verse is talking about the coming of Jesus. Jesus is often referred to as the Son of God as well as the sun of righteousness. So what characteristics does the sun have, that Jesus also has?
- They are both lights. The sun is our light in the day whereby we can see clearly. Jesus is the light of the world as John 8:12 in the Message Bible tells us:
12 Jesus once again addressed them: “I am the world’s Light. No one who follows me stumbles around in the darkness. I provide plenty of light to live in.”
Then the most amazing part is that in Matthew 5:14 in the Message Bible, Jesus tells us that we are the light of the world.
14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden
If we abide in Jesus, we take on His characteristics.
2. They both help us to grow. The sun has properties that helps plants to grow and the Son Jesus helps us to grow. We grow in Jesus by faith. Both plants and faith start off as seeds. Jesus said in Matthew 13: 31-32 in the Message Bible:
31-32 Another story. “God’s kingdom is like an acorn that a farmer plants. It is quite small as seeds go, but in the course of years it grows into a huge oak tree, and eagles build nests in it.”
Gods kingdom runs by faith. In Hebrews 11:6 in the Message Bible, it states:
It’s impossible to please God apart from faith. And why? Because anyone who wants to approach God must believe both that he exists and that he cares enough to respond to those who seek him.
Faith is the currency of heaven and like a plant seed, we need to grow it in our lives. So how does this happen?
Romans 10: 17 in the NIV Bible states:
17 Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.
So in the natural, the sun helps the plants to grow and in the spiritual Jesus the Son helps us grow in faith by hearing the Word of God which is Jesus (John 1:1).
3. The last one I want to look at today is attitude or mood. When it is a cloudy day and the sun is not shining, that can sometimes affect our mood. No sun can equal bad or sad mood.
The same with Jesus the Son. If we don’t have Jesus in our lives, we don’t have the fruit of the Spirit which is found in Galatians 5: 22-23 and in the Message Bible states:
22-23 But what happens when we live God’s way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely.
In Jesus we have the joy of the Lord. Will we still have bad days? Yes but we have Jesus and He will help us through.
The sun teaches us about the Son. So next time you are outside and the sun is shining, remember what the sun teaches us.
Have a great week and keep living the life God intended for you.
Bless you
Karen
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