WHEN THE SUN GOES DOWN (PART 2 OF 2)

18th NOVEMBER 2021

^“For the Lord God is a sun and shield: the Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.” – Psalm 84:11

 

In our Christian beliefs, the hours from the sunset through midnight to the following day is seen as enormously influential periods when the presence of God is most visible and active in the affairs of men. Perhaps, this is one reason we employ the midnight or vigil hours for prayers for essential and complex life issues. For instance, God had requested the Israelites to sacrifice the Passover at the going down of the sun (Deuteronomy 16:6). Also, when Abraham made a sacrifice to God, seeking the face of God regarding his blood lineage. The Lord God did not only respond to Abraham’s prayers, but He also made a covenant with Abraham. The Scripture says:

^“And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and, lo, an horror of great darkness fell upon him . . ..  And it came to pass, that, when the sun went down, and it was dark, behold a smoking furnace, and a burning lamp that passed between those pieces (The sacrifice prepared by Abraham). In the same day, the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates . . ..” (Genesis 15:12 – 18)

Perhaps you may be wondering why the sunset or the new dawn brings forth a message of hope and reassurance of restoration and healing? In answering this question, today’s Scripture says, God is a sun! That translates to  the fact that God is the power behind the might of the sun, and he uses the setting and the rising of the sun to actualize His divine purpose in the affairs of men. Jesus told Philip, ‘if you have seen me, you have seen the father’ (John 14:9 ). Any wonder then that during the transfiguration, the Scripture says concerning Jesus in Matthew 17:2, “And He was transfigured before them, and His face shone like the sun, and His garments became as white as light.” Today, I tell you that Jesus Christ is the risen sun at the break of a new dawn. Jesus Christ is the power that turns the darkest night and your hopelessness into the golden dawn of hope and fulfilment! Jesus Christ is ‘the sun of righteousness, rising with healing in its wings talked about in Malachi 4:2-6.

In solving your earthly problems, leave behind the trouble of one day, and face the following day while holding onto Jesus! He will take you through the darkest nights into a new day of hope and fulfilment. Finally, beloved, I leave you with the words of Apostle Paul, in Ephesians 5:14, “…. Awake thou that sleepest, and arises from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.”

PRAYER

Lord Jesus Christ, I leave behind all my troubles, and I face the beginning of a new day. Please grant me the grace to overcome. Lord, fill my heart with the joy of the realization that my tomorrow is assured, and my future is certain in you. AMEN

FURTHER READING:  Deuteronomy 24:15; Amos 5:8; Matthew 17:2