Nov 1 – THE SUN ROSE!

“Just as he crossed over Penuel the sun rose on him” (Genesis 32:31).

Jacob might have witnessed numerous sunrises in his lifetime. But this sunrise is a special and blessed one for him. A new name ‘Israel’ was bestowed upon him who was thus far known as Jacob.

He decided to spend a night alone with God in the ford of Jabbok. On one side, the fear over his brother threatened him while on the other side, his responsibility of protecting his wife and children pressed his heart. The thoughts about his future saddened him.

During that night, he decided to fight in prayer with God. So, after moving his wife and children to the other side of the river, he waited there alone for God. God met him there. That meeting with God brought a great light in his life. It raised great hope in him. The Scripture says “Just as he crossed over Penuel the sun rose on him.”

You might have to walk in several paths of darkness. The thoughts of how the future would be and how to get over the dark path, might be threatening you. Learn from Jacob, how to fight in prayer with God when dark clouds surround you from all directions and utter darkness engulfs your life. God will surely change the dominance of the darkness and make the sun to rise. God says, “But to you who fear my name the Sun of Righteousness shall arise with healing in His wings….” (Malachi 4:2).

If you want the brightness of God to shine upon you, the darkness of sin within you should get cleared. In the beginning, God, the embodiment of light, created man in His image. But the man, by sinning, walked into the darkness which is the image of the devil. Thus, he had to lose all his comforts and health and eventually cross over to the darkness of curse. Jesus Christ, the sun of righteousness came into the world to restore the comfort and to give him back the light which he had lost. The Scripture says, “And he shall be like the light of the morning when the sun rises, a morning without clouds, like the tender grass springing out of the earth, by clear shining after rain” (II Samuel 23:4).

One day the sun rose in the life of Simeon. That was the day on which he met God face to face. He took Christ in his hands, rejoiced in the sunlight and said, “For my eyes have seen your salvation which you have prepared before the face of all peoples” (Luke 2:30, 31).

Dear children of God, God likes the sun of righteousness to shine upon you. Just as the sun rose in the life of Jacob, it will also surely rise in your life.

To meditate: “As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world” (John 9:5).