Sunrise. A glimmer of light on the horizon. I can see it; but only if I am up, in a good position and the weather is sufficiently clear. Wherever I am, it comes and is soon “gone”.

That majestic sunrise, however, keeps right on moving, becoming sunrise after sunrise for the next folks in line to the west. The sunrise never stops, and it never has since God put his “greater light” in its place on the 4th day of his creation.

Constant. Consistent. Reliable. Unchanging, just like its creator….. and the Almighty has been there for every sunrise that every human on the planet has ever seen.

Are you getting an idea of how limited you are and how great God is?

No wonder Isaiah said, “Woe is me, for I am a man of unclean lips!” when he found himself in the presence of God (Isaiah 6).

No wonder Jesus could tell of a man who, standing in God’s temple looking downward, struck himself in the chest and pleaded, “God, be merciful to me, the sinner!” (Luke 18).

No wonder Peter, falling before Jesus, adjured him, “Go away from me Lord, for I am a sinful man” (Luke 5).

But Jesus did not go away from Peter and he will not leave you and me. He is merciful to us and like he did for Isaiah, he cleanses us so we can be the ones he sends to do his work in this world.

How fitting then, to recall the words of Jeremiah:

“The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. ‘The LORD is my portion,’ says my soul, ‘therefore I will hope in him.’”, Lamentations 3:22-24.