I did something on a whim while driving home from dropping the girls off at school recently. On dark and cloudy morning, in the distance I saw the sun gloriously breaking through clouds over the Corvallis foothills … and I kept driving!

I had things I needed to do, but I just needed to get a little bit closer, see the glory of sun breaking through, maybe capture a photo of this moment of beauty.

Clouds and fog rolled over the hills inland from the coast, and it was a rather damp and dreary Oregon morning. But the sun was triumphing!

It reminded me of my favorite verse this Christmas season, that Jesus is our Sunrise:

“because of the tender mercy of our God … 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, ESV

How often do we feel like that morning looked? In all our ordinary days, with waiting, mundaneness, stress, and heartache? We are hoping for something encouraging, for the sun to break through.

Amidst the beauty of Christmas, Jesus is the Sunrise that dawns in our darkness. He meets us in our everyday lives.

Jesus HAS been born! He is “God with us.” He has been resurrected, with the promise to be with us always. He promises us his Spirit to dwell in us, guiding and comforting us. God promises to complete what He’s at work at in our lives.

Like the sun breaking through heavy coastal clouds, God’s love breaks through the darkness in our lives. Stresses, troubles, busyness, and heavy feelings roll through our lives at times. But God’s love is greater.

When I caught sight of the sun over Corvallis hills and kept driving, it interrupted other things I needed to get done at home. This is similar to how we pursue Jesus – interrupting our usual life to think of him, talk with him, meet with him.

How can we pursue Jesus today? Maybe by interrupting our plans today and pausing to meet with him in Scripture, listening to music that draws our hearts to him, or going on a short walk and praying.

Let’s remember – the Sunrise has come!

We are living in sunrise days! Jesus has come. He is our Light and Peace today.

What does it mean to you for Jesus to be the Sunrise? For your heart and life today?

How will you pursue the Sunrise today? Will you join me in driving, on whim, to chase after him?

 

Kathryn Featherstone is a Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach and a board-certified Christian Life Coach, who helps people live and love well out of their strengths and their relationship with Christ. She’d like to encourage you in your journey! Write her a note or see her Coaching page.