Zechariah's song comes after the birth of his son, John the Baptist. (Luke 1:67 - 79) Toward the end of it he speaks of "the tender mercy of our God by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death".
I read those words this morning as the sun was shining brightly through the windows of our 19th storey apartment. As I sat in our sun filled little office, with windows wide open, I was moved to thank God for the sunshine, but so much more for the Son who came "from heaven to shine on those living in darkness and the shadow of death."
From our apartment office we can look south and west over countless roofs and toward dozens of tall apartment buildings. There are perhaps 500,000 people living within our sight, almost all of whom live "in darkness and the shadow of death" even though the Son came 2,000 years ago. I am often moved deeply as I reflect on the needs of this city and of our world.
Our apartment building is 21 stories high. Very near us are two 40 storey apartments under construction along with a 20 storey office building. We know that tall buildings like these cast a long shadow. If you happen to live in a house near a tall building, no matter how brightly the sun shines, you will live in the shadow at certain times of the day.
So here in Hanoi (and where you live), the Good News of the Son who is the Light, has failed to penetrate the shadows in which so many people live there whole lives. There are such a variety of tall barriers that keep people in spiritual shadows. Thankfully each of us can allow the Son to shine through us, and His light can bring some of these people out of darkness.
I read those words this morning as the sun was shining brightly through the windows of our 19th storey apartment. As I sat in our sun filled little office, with windows wide open, I was moved to thank God for the sunshine, but so much more for the Son who came "from heaven to shine on those living in darkness and the shadow of death."
From our apartment office we can look south and west over countless roofs and toward dozens of tall apartment buildings. There are perhaps 500,000 people living within our sight, almost all of whom live "in darkness and the shadow of death" even though the Son came 2,000 years ago. I am often moved deeply as I reflect on the needs of this city and of our world.
Our apartment building is 21 stories high. Very near us are two 40 storey apartments under construction along with a 20 storey office building. We know that tall buildings like these cast a long shadow. If you happen to live in a house near a tall building, no matter how brightly the sun shines, you will live in the shadow at certain times of the day.
So here in Hanoi (and where you live), the Good News of the Son who is the Light, has failed to penetrate the shadows in which so many people live there whole lives. There are such a variety of tall barriers that keep people in spiritual shadows. Thankfully each of us can allow the Son to shine through us, and His light can bring some of these people out of darkness.
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