***If you were looking for a post about Ecclesiastes, I apologize for the misleading nature of the title. This post is really about the sun…***
Just a quick post today. I was driving into work this morning and was taken aback by the beauty of the sunrise. The sun was a massive orange ball in the sky…the kind of orange that you can actually look into and not be blinded. The sun hadn’t lost any of its power, it was only veiled by pollutants, perspectives, and position.
Then it occurred to me: while He walked on earth, Jesus was, in some ways, the same. The fullness of His glory and power and majesty was veiled from those who didn’t have eyes to see. He emptied Himself of the independent use of His divine prerogative and took on the humble form of a servant:
Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:5-11 ESV)
But we know that the fullness of Christ’s glory didn’t stay veiled for long. Christ raised from the death and ascended back to His throne at the right hand of the Father.
The sun’s glory wasn’t veiled for long this morning, either. As I moved along the highway, the sun drew nearer to its apex and I was unable to bear looking directly at it. Or, if you prefer, I was unable to behold it.
John says that “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld His glory” (John 1:14 ESV). Unaided, we are unable to behold the glory of Christ. We need the Holy Spirit to give us new hearts, new minds so that we might see Christ in His glory.
So, I just wanted to thank God for revealing part of Himself to me this morning in the sunrise. Truly the ”heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.” (Psalm 19:1 ESV)
Posted on 07.14.10
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