“We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true by being in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.” 1 John 5:20 NIV
I woke up early this morning and wanted to see the sunrise so I strapped on my sandals and headed out the door. There was a great place, a short hike down the beach, where the view would be breathtaking, but I wasn’t sure I could reach it in time. I had two options: I could walk along the boardwalk, which was undoubtedly easier and quicker, or I could trudge through the thick sand on the beach. Though I could move much faster on the boards, the shrubs on the dune, alongside the boardwalk, blocked my view of the horizon. I feared if I waited too long before before veering into the sand, I’d miss that prize moment when the sun first breaks on the horizon and peaks out over the water as it begins to rise.
As I walked quickly down the boardwalk, starting my day in prayer, the Lord revealed to my heart this simple truth: The spiritual journey, for many unbelievers is just like my hike to see the sunrise. As I watched the pink, orange and yellow hues increase on the canvas of the morning sky, there was no denying the sun was close by. Many people live their lives enjoying the benefit of God’s presence, but never attribute the beauty they see to the Creator who made us. They marvel at the birth of a newborn baby, enjoy the warmth of a loved one’s embrace, and savor the flavor of a fresh picked strawberry, but never connect these gifts with the God who provides them. They walk in the pre-glow of His appearance, surrounded by the beauty of His creation, comforted by the warmth of His blessings, innately aware that He is there, but unable to confirm His existence. They simply don’t know Him. They see evidence of His beauty as they journey through life, but there’s just something blocking their full view of the Son. They’ve not yet experienced that wonderful moment when the Son Himself first appears on the horizon and all doubt is removed. They want to believe the gospel is true, they like the idea of a loving, all-powerful God, but they’ve not yet left the ease of the boardwalk.
The problem is, if they wait too long to change directions, to journey through the uneven sand, they may miss the rising Son all together. Some will walk their whole lives wondering what they’re missing, but never take the path that leads them to the water’s edge. For one reason or another, they will allow the philosophies of this world to block their view, just like the shrubs on the dune blocked my view this morning.
If that’s you, please don’t miss it! Look around and recognize the signs of God’s existence. Don’t live your whole life in the pre-glow of the Son, when you could be basking in the full glow of His presence! Jesus is absolutely amazing! You don’t want to miss knowing Him! As I hurried down the boardwalk, every so often I came across an access path that gave me an opportunity to navigate through the shrubs and find my way across the dune.
If you’ve never been able to see the Son, you need to journey onto an access path and hike past whatever has been blocking your view. Take the path God is offering. Pick up a Bible and read it through a few times. Find out what you’ve been missing. Ask God to open your eyes so you can see His Son in all His fullness. If you don’t know how to pray, don’t overthink it, just speak to God; He will have no trouble hearing you! On your journey of faith, take your first step toward Jesus. He loves you and He will welcome you! Don’t risk missing the Son!
You’ll be happy to know that I veered off the boardwalk and arrived on the beach in enough time to see this beautiful sunrise. I was glad I made it, but after contemplating the spiritual journey of the unbeliever, I was even more grateful that God has allowed me to bask in His presence! There’s nothing on earth that compares to the beauty of a Sonrise!
