Dayspring

 Yesterday I was driving to work and I had to grab my phone whilst sitting at the traffic lights and snap a picture of the view from the window.  Not that it was a spectacular view. It was just some trees on the verge at a junction.  But the light was absolutely amazing.


There is something about the low winter sun first thing in the morning which lights things up in a very specific way.  Although the air temperature outside was pretty bitter, somehow the light made everything look golden and glowing and warm.  Contrasting with the rather leaden clouds the few leaves left on the trees and their trunks were shining.  It really was glorious.  I should have pulled over somewhere more picturesque and taken some better photographs

because of the tender mercy of our God,
    by which the dayspring will come to us from heaven
79 to shine on those living in darkness
    and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the path of peace.” Luke 1:78-79

Today our name for Jesus is ' dayspring'.  Its an old fashioned word and some of the more modern translations just use the word ' dawn'.   Its a word which means just that, the light at the very start of the day which heralds the morning.  But according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary it also means ' the beginning of a new era or order of things.  And of course Jesus is both.  Light in the darkness and the dawning of a new era.

Yesterday one of my Facebook acquaintances ( not a Christian) posted something saying that Jesus is not the reason for the season because ....... then listed a whole lot of pagan/ancient/Roman festivals and traditions and whatnot which have become subsumed into what we celebrate today as ' Christmas'. Nobody can deny that December 25th is some pagan festival which was adopted way back along with various habits and customs to do with winter festivals etc etc.   But equally undeniable is that the birth of that particular baby 2000+ years ago heralded a change in the history of the world which is ongoing.   He changed the calendar.  He changed language.  He changed politics.  He continues to change individual lives day by day.   He is indeed the dayspring of a new order.  Surely no other human being in history has had such an awe inspiring impact on the world.

And just to inspire you and encourage you that He is every bit as influential, powerful and dynamic as He ever has been right here right now, take a look at what He is doing in prisons in America at the moment .  https://www.facebook.com/reel/547382180612508/?s=single_unit

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