God’s gift . . .

The Sun Rising on a New Year 

“With every sun’s rising, surprise us with Your love, satisfy us with Your kindness.
Then we will sing with joy and celebrate every day we are alive.”
Psalm 90:14 

The words keep repeating in my mind—"Come into the light of the sun . . . into the Light of the Son” . . . I was standing outside in the cold (27 degrees this morning), as the sun rose above the horizon, the light touching my shoulders . . . I was surprised with how gentle and warm the rays of the sun felt on my cold fingers and tired back . . . And just like the warmth my body feels when I experience the bright light of the morning sun, my heart feels an even deeper warmth when I encounter the Light of the Son—the Son of God. 

“All this will flow from the kind and compassionate mercy of our God.
A new day is dawning: the Sunrise from the heavens will break through in our darkness,
And those who huddle in night, those who sit in the shadow of death,
Will be able to rise and walk in the light,  guided in the pathway of peace.”
Luke 1:78-79 

Have you ever gotten up early to watch the sun greet the day and see the dawning of a new morning? . . . It is definitely worth it . . . The sunrise is one of The Creator’s finest moments . . . That calm, gentle, peaceful light that quietly bursts upward each day with the promise of something good . . . Whether it's raining, snowing, stormy, or sunny, a sunrise brings a fresh new start every day . . . Each sunrise is a glimpse of hope for a better day and a more peaceful world . . . It only lasts a few minutes, but the light, illumination, and welcoming aura can spread deep into our hearts and souls . . . Even the darkest of nights will end, and the sun will rise . . . It’s God’s way of reminding us that we can begin again. 

In the Bible, sunrise symbolizes hope, new beginnings, God's faithfulness, and divine light overcoming darkness . . . often pointing to Christ, who brings each of us the opportunity of salvation and new mercies each morning . . . It signifies God's consistent presence, the promise of restoration, and a call to worship and to walk in His light . . . a valuable focus as we move into the new year and the days ahead. 

“At every time and in every place—
from the moment the sun rises to the moment the sun sets—
the name of the Lord will be praised.”
Psalm 113:3 

INSIGHT . . . 

What is it that makes a sunrise special to see? . . . the colors and warmth? . . . the stillness, silence, and beginning of a new day? . . . that nothing has happened to blemish your day yet? . . . Maybe . . . But I think it’s the reminder of a different type of “Son-rise”  . . . one that gives eternal life . . . It’s when God gives us a tangible and glorious sight every day to help us remember to reflect upon the most life-changing truth of all—the Good News, the Gospel, and the presence of Christ. 

“Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love,
for I have put my trust in you.
Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life.”
Psalm 143:8

As Mary went to the tomb on Easter morning, it was still dark . . . Could her eyes be deceiving her? . . . The stone was rolled away . . . Jesus’s body was gone and angels were in His place . . . Then, she watched a shadowy figure come forward, drowned out by the bright sun behind Him—but this was no gardener . . . It was the risen Son of God who called her by name, “Mary.”  

That’s a sunrise Mary would never forget—a “Son-rise” . . . joyfully remembered every morning as she watched the sun come up . . . and the morning sunrise should be the same reminder for each of us . . . the rising of God’s Son, meaning more than a new day . . . meaning a new life, an eternal life.  
 
So, as you watch the sunrise in the days ahead, no matter the weather, the dawning light  is a reminder to reflect upon what the risen “Son” means for you, both today and forever. 

And a reminder to ask yourself each day . . . Are you running toward the source of Light, or are you turning your back and walking back toward the darkness? 

God will help you turn toward the Light of the Son, run to the Father, and hear the Holy Spirit in your heart and soul . . . Just ask Him. 

INVITATION—TO TALK WITH GOD . . . 

Each Christmas season, we see the quote, “Wise men still seek Him”  . . . on Christmas cards, wall hangings, and computer memes . . . and we should continue to search for Christ in our everyday lives, throughout the entire year—not just the Christmas season. 

“When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.
And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother,
and they fell down and worshiped him.”
Matthew 2:10-11 

Long ago, the Jewish people thought the coming Messiah was only for them, not the Gentiles (not us) . . . But the Magi (the Wise Men who were Gentiles) had heard about the newborn King . . . they saw the new, unusual star in the heavens, and they needed to find out what it was all about . . . They followed the star to Bethlehem, found the young King they had heard so much about, and their lives were changed forever. 

So, what did the Magi see and hear, know and show the world as they followed the star, bowed down, and worshiped Jesus?  . . . Well, they understood the importance of this child . . . they may not have understood the depth of what was coming in the future, but they knew it was worth a very long journey to worship this King. 

God has given us a message that is not only for past times
 and this time, but for all time.
(Billy Graham) 

The lyrics from the song “Do You Hear What I Hear?” suggest what the Wise Men may have been thinking as they journeyed to see The Child . . .  and the lyrics speak to us today with reminders of what we might ponder as we walk and talk with God. 

“Do you see what I see?” . . .  Do you see God’s guiding star? . . . it guided the Magi long ago and still guides us today—this Star of Jesus . . . And do ya811ou see God’s hand in everything around us, in every situation, large or small? . . . Are you looking for Him? . . . . In God’s presence, we find hope . . . security and strength . . . encouragement, motivation, and inspiration as we live out our faith . . . Do you see?  

“Do you hear what I hear?” . . . What is the most prominent voice in your life? . . . Who do you listen to the most? . . . Who should be the most important voice in your life? . . . Jesus said, “Whoever belongs to God hears what God says” . . . If we believe in Jesus, we belong to God . . . And if we belong to God, we can hear from God . . . The voices of doubt shout over the whispers of God, but we hear what we listen for . . . slow down, listen, (in other words, stop talking) . . . Do you hear? 

“Do you know what I know?” . . . Do you know the story of Jesus? . . . Do you know Jesus? . . . That star, that star dancing in the night—Christ’s star—brings hope to the earth . . . everyone on earth . . . when we believe and know Christ, when we let hope seep into our heart and soul, it’s like helium . . . bringing lightness, and lifting a heavy heart with the promise given when Christ arrive on earth . . . a promise of better days and eternal life.

ILLUMINATION . . .                                      

When was the last time you held up a magnifying glass and examined the intricacies of something—beyond pulling a sliver out of your finger? . . . When was the last time you approached life with the curious, eager, full-of-wonder eyes of a child?  

Pause for a moment, deep breaths—in and out—until you can slow your mind down to look at life more simply, and find joy in the small things . . .  see life with less skepticism, judgment, or doubt.  

It is difficult to stop the world from spinning out of control sometimes . . . we have to make a genuine effort to keep our eyes on Christ and focus on God’s will in our lives . . . One way to work on this is to adjust how we look at things, circumstances, at friends and family, at those we don’t know but interact with often . . . but we can’t do it alone . . . we do not have superpowers that will overcome the evils of the world . . . but we have someone better—we do have God! 

“Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible.
But with God everything is possible.”
Matthew 19:26 

God can help us see with the eyes of a child . . . see the world with fresh, innocent wonder, appreciating simple things, and approach life without adult cynicism, biases, or self-consciousness . . . He can help us find possibilities and visions where adults see mundane, dull routines. 

“Jesus said, ‘Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them!
For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children.’”
Matthew 19:14 

I want to come into God’s Kingdom with belief, sincerity and trust in my Father—just like a child . . . with humility, a willingness to learn, accept God's guidance without resistance, and approaching faith with a straightforward, honest focus on God.  

What about you? . . . Can you let go of the world long enough, to step back and look at life around you with the eyes of a child? 

How are you approaching the new year? . . . Are you following the way the world is guiding you? . . . or the way God is inviting you into His world? 

INSPIRATION—PRAYING THROUGH MUSIC . . . 

Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind,
flight to the imagination, and life to everything.  
(Plato) 

I encourage you to take time to listen to any or all the songs below . . . there is no right or wrong style of music—it is what speaks to you . . . listen to the melody and the lyrics and feel the response of your heart to what God wants you to hear . . . and I do understand that music doesn’t speak to everyone . . . and that is okay too. 

♪♬♪ Current . . .  Run to The Father

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQPfFNRw4Rs&list=RDSQPfFNRw4Rs&start_radio=1 

♪♬♪ Traditional . . . Do You Hear What I Hear?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrLkxbjLi1A&list=RDyrLkxbjLi1A&start_radio=1 

INTO EACH DAY AHEAD . . .  

We need to seek Jesus every day . . . It should be easy, to find the Son of God, right? . . . Yet, there are times we can’t find Him . . . or He’s there, and we can’t see Him . . . Maybe we don’t recognize His presence in people around us, in situations that are hard . . . But don’t stop trying, don’t give up. 

The wise sages, these Magi, who followed a star to find the Christ child remind us that being a Christian is less about listing and itemizing a doctrine, and more about a way of life . . . it’s about looking toward the gift God gives us in His Sun—His “Son-rise.” 

Faith is a journey . . . I know that asking for directions is difficult for many of us to do, but if the wise men of the Bible can do it, so can we! . . . Asking for help is not a sign of weakness, but of faith and the humility necessary to open space for God to work something new within your heart and soul . . . There are individual aspects to our faith for sure, but none of us can get where God wants us to be without help from others. 

We need to move out of our comfort zone and traditions and be willing to try something new. . . always seeking new experiences of God’s Spirit, always looking for signs of God’s love breaking into our everyday, always willing to grow on a journey where we expect God to challenge and to change us . . . What new journey is God calling you to undertake this year to deepen your relationship with Him?  

Remember to listen for God . . . listen to God . . . He speaks to us in a myriad of ways . . . How many times do we miss God’s messages to us because we are looking for them in only one way? . . . Throughout Scripture, God speaks through dreams, angels, creation, people, wrestling, hardship, healing, resurrection, hospitality, affirmation, fire, storms,  voices, clouds, mountains, foreign powers, metaphors, prophets, teachers, flashes of light, the poor, parables, songs, poetry, inner wisdom, bread, water, children, visions . . . I could go on, but you get the point. 

And pause for joy. . . . As we head into 2026, what would happen if we made one of our new year’s resolutions be “pause for joy?”
. . . Faith is about looking for God-sightings every day and in everything, being open to new ways for the light of Christ and the love of God to shine in unexpected places . . . including in the sunrise of the dawning of each new day. 

Heavenly Father,
Help us begin this new year, this new season, focused on Jesus.
Help us remember and know that God is revealed to us through Christ,
and is with us every moment of every day.
Allow us to feel that great joy deep within our hearts
and guide us in sharing Your love and joy to all the people around us.—Amen.

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Prayer Paths (written by Dr. Debbie Parcel)
is a weekly email letter designed to “fuel”
your active prayer life, help you stay engaged in
focused prayer, and encourage a
growing relationship with our Triune God. 

To receive Prayer Paths by email each week—send a request,
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