East, Ever East

Sunrise

Sunrise is one of my favorite times for all of the usual reasons –a new beginning, another day signaling “we’re still here”, etc. – but basically, I like the sun’s return because most of the time it is pretty. I have seen beautiful sunrises from mountains, farms, suburban windows and city streets.

 I like sunrises on the water from boats, shores and creek banks. On one occasion, I looked down on daybreak from the top floor of a beach-front high-rise condo. In the pale, early light before the sun, the ocean breathed calmly, thrilled with expectation. The clear horizon glowed brighter and then streaks of light streamed upward through the deep and living waters. I could see the light-rays beneath the water’s surface. The sun’s brilliant beams appeared in the transparent vast curve of the Atlantic even before it breached the rim of the sky!

Sometimes first light is obscured by storms and haze. Sometimes sunrise appears too early. Many times I stay asleep right through the daybreak, although on occasion I do greet it from the other side after a wakeful night for some reason or another. If I was perfectly attuned to the nature of things, I would go to sleep at sundown, when the earth turns her back on the sun and wake when she greets it again. I would avoid all the inconsistencies and troubles and aggravations of the darkness. However, I am a creature of this time and in this age most people don’t live that way. Fortunately, neither the earth nor God ever sleeps late.

 Isaiah tells us about the temple and the East Gate. He saw the glory of God entering in through the East Gate. From the direction of the dawn. From the place the earth desires and to which it constantly yearns, rotates and cycles. The earth is constantly rotating toward the east, proceeding eastward, toward the sun’s rise. This planet unalterably hastens toward dawn, rushing to greet the life-giving source of light, steadfastly drawn eastward – ever eastward, ever eastward. It is an absolute truth, a fact that is always true; the earth is designed like that.

Just like the Earth is always yearning toward the renewal of light, our souls, our spirits, our hearts are always yearning toward the Irresistible Light. Slowed by the gravitational pull of deception and failed by self, we spin round and round – Light, dark, Light, dark, Light – through the darkness, through the night, toward Jesus.

 Joy! Awesome joy!

Even as we plod in and around this little planet, our earthly spaceship, our cocoon of light and life, our well-watered garden is speeding around the sun, a lesser light, AND rushing through the vast timeless space of the universe. We are traveling beyond the measured speed of light towards eternity’s LIGHT, our heart’s desire. Every human traverse, every passage delivers us a little bit closer/newer/older/truer. Because God made us that way. And He attracts us to Himself. Swiftly, perfectly, always and forever.

 Dear Father God,

Thank you for new dawns, for joy, faith and love in this life’s journey. Please give me the light I need to follow the paths you intend and deliver me from wrong turns and needless detours. Please don’t let me stubborn, stupid or stagnant and forgive me for bucking and kicking in rebellion. Heal my years, please, and bless this day spring Amen.

 2 The people who walk in darkness
         Will see a great light;
         Those who live in a dark land,
         The light will shine on them.
Isaiah 9:2 (New American Standard Bible)

Advertisement