Dayspring

Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us,

Luke 1:78 (KJV)

On this blustery, cold Sunday morning, it was hard to leave the warmth of our home to go to church. But as we drove through the neighborhood on this beautiful mid-December morning, I noticed how many cars were still parked in driveways.

All was quiet.

I wasn’t looking at these homes in judgement. I was sad. So many people just don’t know what they are missing.

They don’t know Who they are missing.

The Daystar-from on High. The One Who’s glory, lit up on the sky all of those centuries ago. The One who longs to fill our hearts.

I have discovered an old song written by the old Methodist preacher, Charles Wesley. He called it Morning Song. It is about his life before Jesus came into his heart. Take a look at some of the lines from that old song:

Dark and cheerless is the morn¹
Unaccompanied by thee,
Joyless is the day’s return,
Till thy mercy’s beams I see;
Till thy inward light impart,
Glad my eyes and warm my heart.

Charles knew what only believers can know. Life without the Dayspring is only dark and cold. Believers know that it is far too easy to be lulled by temporary earthly comforts like a warm cozy fire at home on Sunday morning.

Sometimes we just cuddle up and stay locked away in our hearts, too. Life gets harder, and instead of letting Jesus help us, we step away, keeping Him at a good, safe distance.

Many people are more comfortable remaining secluded in their material comforts. Some even use Christmas for all of the festivities, removing Jesus from His own story. His story offends them, or they simply don’t believe it.

And all the time what these hurting hearts really need is the healing that He wants to give them. He wants to heal their souls. They need the relationship that He wants to share.

Until people find the Dayspring, they will never know the peace that you and I know. They don’t understand how we have peace that comes in the darkness and brutal cold of grief and suffering. They never will understand that joy exists in our hearts when happiness vanishes.

Visit then this soul of mine,
Pierce the gloom of sin, and grief,
Fill me, Radiancy Divine,
Scatter all my unbelief,
More and more thyself display,
Shining to the perfect day.

But we know, don’t we? Our Dayspring has filled us like nothing else ever could. He is with us and in us. Immanuel. Jesus. Savior. Messiah.

Look at the next lines of the song.

Christ, whose glory fills the skies,
Christ, the true, the only light,
Sun of Righteousness, arise,
Triumph o’er the shades of night:
Day-spring from on high, be near:
Day-star, in my heart appear.

1. Morning Hymn
   Charles Wesley ↩︎

King James Version (KJV)

Public Domain