Day 5: Promise #5: Morning Is Coming.

“Whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.” Luke 1:78–79

Perhaps no metaphor of Christ stirs affection more than sunrise. Consider ten things the sunrise teaches us about the heart of Christ and the good news of his incarnation.

1. He rises.

When the sun rises each morning from its nightly grave, all people in its domain rise with it. So, too, all united to Christ rise with him from death to life (Col. 3:1). Yet Christ doesn’t only raise his people from literal death; he lifts those sitting “in the shadow of death” (Luke 1:78; 1 Sam. 2:8). Daily he extends his hand to lift us from graves of despair and draw us afresh into his grace, love, and holiness.

2. He renews.

The sunrise symbolizes newness—a new start, new possibilities, new mercy (Lam. 3:23). Believer, your forgiveness wasn’t only pronounced 2,000 years ago at the cross; God speaks fresh forgiveness to you today. He delights in you today with the same merriment as if he created you just moments ago. None of the benefits of Christ’s redemption go stale; each is applied anew to believers every morning, like the ripest fruit.

3. He beautifies.

The sun offers a uniquely beautiful canvas of light and color every morning. Millenniums have passed, yet the world has not seen the same sunrise twice. Like the sun, the Son contains an endless reservoir of beauty. Christ will never become old or boring. An eternity of new revelations of his loveliness lies ahead (Ps. 16:11).

4. He enlivens.

As plants draw life in the presence of the sun, so believers draw life in the presence of their Savior (Ps. 1). We learn much from the sunflower, which gets its name from its tendency to face the sun from sunrise to sunset. Believers, likewise, are enlivened as they keep their gaze fixed on Christ throughout each day (Heb. 12:1-2).

5. He assures.

The assurance of the sunrise is that it follows every night; no earthly phenomenon is more reliable. Even in the darkest of nights, we can confidently expect the sun to break the dawn. With equal assurance, we await Christ’s deliverance (Ps. 130:6).

6. He heals.

Luke 1:78-79 is an allusion to the final chapter of the Old Testament, in which Malachi describes the coming Messiah as a sunrise: “But for you who fear my name, the Sun of Righteousness will rise with healing in his wings” (Mal. 4:2, NLT). Healing is central to the message of sunrise and the hope of Christmas. As we sing, “Light and life to all He brings; risen with healing in His wings.”

7. He delights.

Many relate to King Solomon’s words, “Light is sweet, and it is pleasant for the eyes to see the sun” (Eccles. 11:7). Studies consistently show a link between sunlight and happiness. Yet the joy of standing in the sun’s warm rays is only a dim reflection of the joy in Christ’s smile (Mal. 4:2).

8. He warms.

Nighttime is not only the darkest time but also the coldest. Without Christ, the world is cold, dark, and hopeless. Yet his presence is a warm fire to our shivering souls; his promises comfort us in our affliction (Ps. 119:49-50).

9. He clarifies.

Scripture often likens darkness to spiritual blindness. In the domain of darkness, we cannot understand God, the world, or ourselves. Yet Christ—the Light himself (1 John 1:5)—opens our eyes to see clearly. As C. S. Lewis observed, “I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.”

10. He conquers.

Some nights are darker than others, but the sunrise conquers them all. The sunrise is the ultimate victory over darkness—a victory toward which the moonlight only points.

Glimpses of victory over darkness in this life are, like the moon, mere reflections of Christ’s victorious light. But true morning is coming. Christmas reminds us that Jesus will come again as he came before. When he does, he will banish darkness completely and usher us eternally into his soul-warming light (Rev. 21:23).

Reflection question: Which aspect of Christ’s likeness to the sun has been particularly sweet for you? Which is most comforting in life’s difficulties?