DAYSPRING

Words can be misleading. Even in the English language, the meanings of words change over time. So any book translated centuries ago can lead to some mysteries and misunderstandings, even when read by a fluent English speaker. For example, the word peculiar used to simply mean unique or set apart, and then there is the word gay.

Of the various names given to Jesus, Dayspring is one of the most beautiful and elusive names. Like many words in current use at the time of the King James translation, Dayspring can conjure misleading images of gurgling water sparkling in the sunlight. It is found in the Old Testament as the translation of shachar, "Hast thou caused the dayspring to know his place?" (Job 38:12). This is no doubt intended literally for the dawn. In the New Testament, the same translation is given to the Greek word anatole,  literally "a rising," as in Luke 1:78, "The dayspring from on high hath visited us." If, as by most commentators, it be taken to refer to the Messiah, it probably implies prophetic knowledge that the conception of Jesus had already taken place, and that the Messianic era was at hand, when the Jewish world should be filled with spiritual splendor. It certainly compliments the Gospel of  John's opening imagery about light flooding the darkness. After 400 years of silent darkness, the dawn was breaking and the Messiah was coming. 

In our lives, yours and mine, there are times of darkness. When we are enduring them, it seems as if they will never end. Our hope is in Jesus, who suffered in total darkness in order to bring us light. On the third day, he arose. And so, hope rises with him. He will redeem all that is lost. In our fear, he speaks peace; in our despair, hope; in our darkness, the promise of the bright dawn of a new, everlasting day.

(Luke 1:78) "Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us.."



Encyclopedias - International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Dayspring

DAYSPRING da'-spring: This beautiful English word, in current use in the time of the King James Version, is found in the Old Testament as the translation of shachar, "Hast thou .... caused the dayspring to know his place?" (Job 38:12 the King James Version). This is no doubt intended literally for the dawn. The "place" of the dayspring is the particular point of the horizon at which the sun comes up on any given day. ...Also once in the New Testament for anatole, "a rising." "The dayspring from on high hath visited us" (the King James Version; ... Luke 1:78). Also in Apocrypha, "At the dayspring pray unto thee" (AV; the Revised Version (British and American) "plead with thee at the dawning of the light," The Wisdom of Solomon 16:28). Both the Hebrew and Greek words, however, are of frequent occurrence, but variously rendered "dawn," "break of day," "morning," "sunrise," "east." Note especially "the spring of the day" (1 Samuel 9:26), "the day began to spring" (Judges 19:25). Used with heliou, "sun," for rising of the sun (Revelation 7:2; 16:12).   What is the meaning of anatole in Luke 1:78?... If... as by most commentators, it be taken to refer to the Messiah, it probably implies prophetic knowledge that the conception of Jesus had already taken place, and that the Messianic era was at hand, when the Jewish world should be filled with spiritual splendor. See DAY-STAR. G. H. Trever

The Thanksgiving Key

When I was a boy, I cared for a neighbors' dog when they were out of town. To get to the food and supplies, I needed to find the key, strategically hidden under a rock. The thing is, anyone could have found the key but, they needed to know to look for it.

Scripture holds some keys for us. Some are hard to find while others are hidden in plain sight. The thing is, most of the time, we are not looking for them. We are looking for information to gain knowledge or, we are looking for easy unconditional promises God makes for us, so we forget to look for a key. Such a key is gratitude.

In our search for peace, we can easily overlook gratitude as a key. Jesus' words were true when he said he gives us peace, not as the world gives, but peace that lasts, peace without lethal addiction and, peace without conditions. If someone gives you a new house and hands you the key, in what way is using the key a condition for having the house? Rather, the key is the means for entering in to abide and live and spill and do all the things that make a house your home. Giving thanks is such a key. The Apostle Paul puts it this way:

⁶ Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
⁷ And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6-7New International Version (NIV)

These verses are great examples of how we can get stuck and forget to look for keys. Many people (I have been one) look no further than the first phrase and, they turn it into a rule: "Be anxious about nothing." So your boss calls you into a mandatory one-on-one meeting or, your wife calls you from the emergency room, or your son is in an automobile crash with no details available and you feel like such a sinner because, here you are, anxious.

Take a deep breath and read the rest of the sentence. It says to take everything, every situation to God. Not only that, but bring along thanksgiving. Thanksgiving? What an unlikely response in fear inducing situations. A key, hidden in plain sight, that opens the door to peace that transcends all understanding.

By turning to gratitude, we honor God and, we shift our focus--to his goodness, to his faithfulness, to his character, to his promises. Like the child who wakes from a nightmare and cries out for Daddy, cradled in his arms we hear him say, "I have you. Don't be afraid." In that context "be anxious in nothing" takes on a whole new meaning. It is not about a rule, it is about relationship with the Faithful One who will never leave you or forsake you (even when your emotions say the opposite).

It has been said that in the Bible, thanksgiving always precedes a miracle. Read the story of Lazarus again and find the key of thanksgiving, hidden in plain sight. It was there all the time. We just weren't looking for it there.

The Take-Away

A common expression these days is to ask, “What is the take-away?” at the end of a meeting, session, or conference. By this we mean to say, what is the lesson to take with me as I go? The implications have to do with how I will be changed, and consequently, how will my life be different. Nearing the end of his letter to the church in Philippi, Paul begins to summarize his take-away message of love and joy to them:

“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:4-7

Paul seems to be saying: “Here is the take-away: Always rejoice. I can’t say it enough: Rejoice!” Certainly joy in the Lord (different from circumstantial or self-focused happiness) is the predominant theme of the letter. Circumstances change, we even let ourselves down, but the love and grace of Jesus Christ is unchanging. Our promises in him are sure and, we can count on him. In him we have relationship now and for eternity! Looking forward to seeing him face to face overshadows our trials, conflicts and problems here below.

The implications of such joy include the ability to demonstrate gentleness (controlled strength). A lack of gentleness is evidence of a need to control things and people. When we are mindful that Jesus is near and coming to bring everything under his benevolent control, we can relax and be gentle. Gentleness is patient and its goal is restoration, as in Galatians 6:1 where Paul taught that if we find someone in a sin, a spiritual one should go to that person in order to restore him gently, taking care not to fall into sin (such as pride) himself.

Another implication of rejoicing is that we do not go on being anxious as the tense of the verb more accurately describes in the Greek. Of course we will experience some anxiety, as did Paul and every human before and since. As with lust, we can’t keep a bird from flying over our head, but we can keep it from building a nest in our hair. When we become aware of anxiousness we can pray and petition (ask) for God’s help, with thanksgiving. Thanksgiving blesses God and it changes our perspectives and hearts. We are reminded of all we already have in God through Christ, and our focus shifts from the perceived empty half of the glass. We realize that our glass is not even merely half full…it overflows!

Paul has a little more to say in terms of the take-away, but for today please grab hold of this. These principles (joy, patient gentleness, peace) arise from an eternal perspective which leaves behind the petty differences we allow to build walls between us. We are reminded of the view from above and, from there, standing shoulder to shoulder, we see indescribable and inexplicable peace!

 

Sovereign Peace

The process of selecting a leader for our country surrounds us. Over the next several months candidates will bombard us with messages about their character and competence, and the lack of same in their opponents. Their goal is to become the supreme leader of our country, to exercise control and influence, presumably for the good of the people.

In our hearts, a similar campaign emerges. Priorities and goals jockey for position. Some are obvious: jobs, marriages, families, houses and cars. Others go unnoticed unless one has been trained, as Paul is training his readers in the third chapter of the book of Colossians. He has laid a foundation, reminding us that we who follow Christ are to take off the old self and its practices, and are to set our minds on spiritual things, not the things of this world. We are to get rid of the things of the old self, many of them attitudes and resulting emotional states: anger, malice, slander, sexual immorality, impurity, lust evil desires and greed. In saying that we should get rid of “all things as these” that Paul is giving these as examples, and not an exhaustive list. The point is there are many attitudes that compete for the leadership of our hearts. Most of them are expressions of the old selfish self.

Having given so many examples of these competing priorities and motivations, Paul now crowns his persuasion with these words:

“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace.” Colossians 3:15

There is a throne in your heart and someone reigns there. The natural by default ruler is the old self with its selfish motivations (greed, lust, malice, impurity, etc.) Paul assures us there is a better way and a better Ruler. If we let Christ rule there, peace results and we are able to wear the qualities of Christ on our sleeves, so to speak. Paul has given us examples of these qualities in verses 12-14: compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, perseverance, forgiveness, all bound together with agape love.

At any given moment we are letting one or the other of these ways of being rule in our hearts. As I meditated on this verse over the course of weeks and months, I asked myself: What if I REALLY believed this? What if, rather than passing over the verse and calling it a beautiful thought, I actually let the peace of Christ rule in my heart? As trying circumstances presented themselves, I had opportunity to allow the old self (malice, anger) to rule in my heart. The other option became increasingly clear as the Holy Spirit asked me:

“What if the peace of Christ ruled in THIS situation? What would be different in your thoughts, motivations and actions? How would these change the way you feel and act right now?”

This single verse has been life changing. It has freed me from the bondage of an old way of life that I had allowed to share sovereignty (rule) in my heart. By first imagining what the rule of the peace of Christ would look like in my life on any given day, longing for it, seeking and cooperating with it, I have been able to experience and share the peace of Christ more consistently than ever before.

There is a throne in your heart. There is room for only one there. Today, who will it be?