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| Dawn@WanlapaFarm, Lopburi Thailand |
'From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the name of the Lord is to be praised.' Psalm 113:3
The dawn and sunrise over Wanlapa Farm, a rice field we stayed in at Lopburi, Thailand on the 28 Nov 2022, was a spectacular experience. The sun rose and suddenly the rice fields became alive as the egrets and birds flew about as if to heat up their wings. The dragonflies and insects started flittering and all life awoke, singing to the dawn.
It is a time to praise the Lord.
Emily Dickinson described a similar experience,
The birds begun at four o'clock
Their period for dawn.
A music numerous as space
And measureless as noon
I could not count their force
Their voices did expend
As brook by brook bestows itself
To magnify the pond
Their witnesses were not
Except occasional man
In homely industry arrayed
To overtake the morn
Nor was it for applause
That I could ascertain
But independent ecstasy
Of Deity and Men
Like Emily, I realised that dawn is a time of freshness, a time to ecstatically praise God. Early in the morning, life stirs. It is a time when 'all nature sings and round me rings the music of the sphere' A time to celebrate that 'This is my Father's World.'
This is my Father's world
And to my listening ears
All nature sings, and round me rings
The music of the spheres
This is my Father's world
I rest me in the thought
Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas
His hand the wonders wrought
This is my Father's world
The birds their carols raise
The morning bright, the lily white
Declare their maker's praise
This is my Father's world
He shines in all that's fair
In rustling grass I hear Him pass
He speaks to me everywhere
This is my Father's world
O let me ne'er forget
That though the wrong seems oft so strong
God is the ruler yet
This is my Father's world
Why should my heart be sad?
The Lord is King, let the heavens ring!
God reigns, let earth be glad!
This is 2023 and the new dawn of the New Year will rise with the sun. What will it bring? 2022 has not been a good year with its tragedies, wars, economic downturn, pandemic. 2023 promises hope and better tomorrows. Hopefully the world will be rid of the Covid scourge. Hopefully there will be peace in Europe.
The prophet Isaiah proclaimed
'Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.' Isaiah 60:1
Every new year on 6 January, Christians remember the light that shines in the darkness, the Epiphany. It commemorates the Adoration of the Magi, the wise men from the East who were guided to Bethlehem by the bright star to the baby Jesus. This was predicted by Isaiah
'The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.' Isaiah 9:2
Epiphany, a light shining in the darkness, assures us of God's guidance as life continues into the new year; new roads appear up ahead. New roads that will lead us into new adventures, new opportunities and new challenges.
The Hymn, 'Morning Has Broken' celebrates the dawn of the new year. It was written by Eleanor Farjeon in 1931 and popularise by Cat Stevens in the 1970s.
Morning has broken like the first morning
Blackbird has spoken like the first bird
Praise for the singing, praise for the morning
Praise for them springing fresh from the world
Sweet the rains new fall, sunlit from Heaven
Like the first dewfall on the first grass
Praise for the sweetness of the wet garden
Sprung in completeness where His feet pass
Mine is the sunlight, mine is the morning
Born of the one light, Eden saw play
Praise with elation, praise every morning
God's recreation of the new day
Morning has broken like the first morning
Blackbird has spoken like the first bird
Praise for the singing, praise for the morning
Praise for them springing fresh from the world
Happy New Year 2023!
Lionel
