Saturday, May 3, 2014

Sunrise

From the rising of the sun to its setting the name of the Lord is to be praised.—Psalm 113:3(NRSV)
The glory of a sunrise is beyond words, so praising God’s name while watching a sunrise comes naturally. I am blessed to be able to watch the sun rise over open water. Every morning is different and shows that beauty is in every circumstance. Some mornings the sky is clear and the sunrise is completely visible from it’s first red glow to it’s full round beauty. Other mornings it is cloudy and the sun peeks out behind a layer of clouds and goes back into another layer of clouds as soon as it is risen. Sometimes the sky is completely overcast and the sun cannot be seen at all, but I know that the sun rises every day whether I can see it or not.  










Can you imagine what life would be like if the sunrise looked the same every morning? We would not appreciate it as much or know the beauty in diversity. The sun rises without fail every morning and its beauty is available to all of us, but how often do we get up to receive this gift?                                                                                                                                                         The sunrise is a wonderful metaphor for God’s work in our lives. Sometimes we can see God’s work clearly in our lives, while at other times it is hidden behind a cloud of pain, to peek out again when we least expect it. As surely as we know that the sun rises every day, we can also be sure that God is present in our lives every moment—whether we can feel it or not.
This blog is about practicing the presence of God  in every circumstance in life and my hope is that you will remember the analogy of the sunrise when you question God's presence in some events of your life. If we practice the Prayers of Presence in our daily life, we will be more prepared to see God and beauty in all of life. After all, the most beautiful sunrise happens even when it is cloudy!
 
Anthony De Mello provides a beautiful metaphor for the above truth:

“Is there anything I can do to make myself Enlightened?”
“As little as you can do to make the sun rise in the morning.”
“Then of what use are the spiritual exercises you prescribe?”
“To make sure you are not asleep when the sun begins to rise.”



                                                                                                                                                 

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