LIVING WATERS
For the proclamation of the Gospel and the edification of the Body of Christ
The Christian Dawn
"But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, which increases until the day is perfect" (Prov. 4:18).
The career of any Christian does not begin in the morning, but at midnight. Every human being on the face of the earth is born in trespasses and sins, separated from the life of God by the ignorance that is in him. He is born hard of heart (Eph. 4:18). We are born in sins and fall short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23). "Behold, I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me" (Ps. 51:5). We are born in darkness, in the greatest darkness (Is. 59:9).
But in the darkest hour of our life God sends us his Word. "We have also the more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the morning star arise in your hearts" (2 Pet. 1:19). "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path" (Ps. 119:105).
But this lamp alone is not enough; it is necessary for the day to dawn, and for the morning Star to rise in our hearts. His Word is light, but its purpose is to make us see the true Light that enlightens every man: "For in thee is the fountain of life; in thy light we shall see light" (Ps. 36:9).
The word of God is very important and necessary in this time of darkness, but God's purpose is that the Sun of Righteousness be manifested in us from on high, in order to direct our feet in the way of peace (Luke 1:78-79). The Scriptures bear witness to Jesus, but we must come to him to have life (John 5:39-40). Jesus is the morning Star, the Sun of Righteousness, the Light of life. When this Sun shines in our hearts, the Christian life begins (2 Cor. 4:6; Is. 9:2).
This is our first day in the Christian walk. When Christ becomes our life, the Christian dawn begins. From that day on we are called children of the day (1 Thess. 5:5). Since the light of the dawn shone in our hearts, we shine brighter and brighter, until we become a perfect day, until we reach noon. This is the natural path of the righteous. "Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ" (Eph. 4:13).
Thanks be to God, the day has dawned for many, but the great majority of men are still in darkness. It is necessary that we do not forget to speak to them the word of God, because it is a torch for those who are in darkness. We must be a light to the world, and let our light shine, and not only within four walls - in the closed circle of fellowship with our brothers in Christ: "Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee" (Is. 60:1). "How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth good tidings of peace, that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation, that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth" (Is. 52:7).