As you go deeper into Africa it seems as if the beauty and colour of the sunrise grow deeper and deeper. Everything looks so much clearer. Everything looks so clean. It’s as if it announces a new beginning. As if yesterday has been blotted out and we are getting a brand-new chance to try again.
And in a way this is exactly how Jesus did it. His death on the cross made the sun rise over us again. There where we were stumbling around in the darkness with no prospect of being saved, Jesus switched on the light.
We could see the spots in our lives, but more than that, we could see the grace and forgiveness too. God’s sun of love rose over all of us and those who accepted Him as their Saviour were overrun by his saving grace.
11 God’s readiness to give and forgive is now public. Salvation’s available for everyone!
And like the sun rises every morning and does not hide from anybody, God’s saving grace and love shine over every living human being. It doesn’t matter what nation, language, colour, size, length, weight, ability, or status you are or have, God’s sun shines over you.
Doesn’t matter how lost your child, parent, colleague or friend is, God’s sun rises for them too. Doesn’t matter how far away from God their language is. Doesn’t matter how out of control their actions are. God’s sun rises every morning, over and over, for them too.
At one stage, I was ashamed of being a Cristian. I hid my Christianity and did not really have the courage to discuss it with anybody. It was especially when I hung out with the rough guys that I kept my mouth closed. I must’ve been afraid they would laugh at me.
After a few years I ran into one of these guys. He still had a big mouth, but the words he used when I knew him before no longer came from his mouth. It was kind of a shock to me when he told me about being saved and also being a child of God now. We listened to his story for a long time.
Times weren’t good all the time and the rough times were rough, “But”, he said: “God’s sun shone on me. It touched me deeply that God loved me who had walked so roughly and rudely through life, so much that He allowed his Son to die for me.”
When I walked away from him, my first thank you was for the person who was not afraid to bring Jesus’ message of salvation to my rough pal. It had actually been my job, but then I was too afraid.
I suspect that I hadn’t realised that God’s sun also shone on him. But now I know it. I believe that God’s sun, God’s forgiveness, rises over everybody. We just have to go and tell that to everybody.
Yes! That’s the instruction for all of us who believe. We mustn’t keep the message to ourselves. The message is for every human being, because the sun rises over everybody.
Let’s go and live that today!
Scripture
Titus 2:11-14
Reflection
Do you believe the sun rises over everybody?
To whom must you bring God’s message of salvation?
How are you going to do it?
Prayer
Lord, I only want to talk about matters of faith to “good” people who seem safe to me. But your grace is for everybody – also those that I can see are covered in sin. Please help me to share your Light with them. Amen.