Looking Up

Here in the Northwest, we don’t get as much sun as others do. But perhaps we appreciate it more. People in dry climates are probably more grateful for rain, which we find too abundant here.

Look up at the sun. Looking up raises us above the traffic, the litter, the family squabbles. It takes us out of this world and reminds us that there is something beyond ourselves.

The pagans pictured the sun as a god driving his chariot across the sky. The Bible compares it to a bridegroom leaving his chamber, and to a strong man running his race with joy. There’s something clean, right, good about the sun.

The sun’s Hebrew name, Shemesh, means bright. The same word in ancient Chaldean means minister or serve. The sun does minister to us—light and warmth. To all of us. The Creator makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good and sends rain on the just and on the unjust (Matthew 5:45). We don’t earn it; it comes out of his goodness.

So it’s a good thing, this looking up at the sun. And let’s remember to shine our lights by doing good to others, thus imitating our Father in heaven (Matthew 5:16).