Sunrise of 2013

I spent last night on the beach.  I was in my element, I do think.  At one point I waded through the water as it crashed onto the shore and reflected on the ocean.  Its dangerous power, its beauty, its vastness.  "Here is love, vast as the ocean, loving kindness as the flood..."  Looking out at the ocean, it's hard to comprehend anything bigger or more powerful.  And yet God's love vastly outweighs the ocean's waters.

We waited hours for the sunrise.  Hours of darkness before the sun.  Each hour of darkness made it harder to believe that the dawn was indeed coming.  How can light break forth from darkness?  The darkness seems so permanent, so all-encompassing.  But as 5:00 gave way to 6:00, the imperceptible hints of dawn made their way onto the panorama before us.

There was something exhilarating about the arrival of light.  The water almost glowed.  For the first time in our night's stay, the sky began to overpower the vastness of the ocean.  We watched as our surroundings were illuminated, our small camp revealed in all its hopelessly smallness in relation to God's creation surrounding us.

I looked for the sun with everything in me.  It had been a fun, but long and cold night.  I knew it was coming, had prepared and awaited its arrival, but that moment when the pre-dawn stillness gave way to the arrival of direct sunlight was incredible.  This, the first dawn of 2013, was the definition of splendor.

This year, I am sure, will bring both darkness and light.  But this morning I felt incredible hope.  Hope that the God who orders the ocean to stay in its place, who orders the moon and the sun, and who sheds light on the darkest of nights, holds me.  He is here and is with me.  I am not alone.

Here is love, vast as the oceanLoving kindness as the floodWhen the Prince of Life, our RansomShed for us His precious blood, precious blood
Who His love will not remember?Who can cease to sing His praise?He can never be forgottenThroughout Heaven's eternal days
On the mount of crucifixionFountains opened deep and wideThrough the floodgates of God's mercyFlowed a vast and gracious tide
Grace and love, like mighty riversPoured incessant from aboveAnd Heaven's peace and perfect justiceKissed a guilty world in love
Who His love will not remember?Who can cease to sing His praise?He can never be forgottenThroughout Heaven's eternal days
Never to be forgottenYour sacrifice, this place requiresNever to be forgotten, LordThroughout eternity
No love is higher, no love is widerNo love is deeper, no love is truerNo love is higher, no love is widerNo love is like Your love, oh Lord