But Herod said, “John I beheaded. Who then is this about whom I hear such things?” And he kept trying to see him. Luke 9:9
I thought we will not see the sun again. It was the time Mount Pinatubo showed its wrath. It was an afternoon that you would rather call an eclipse. Sand drops from the sky. The usual hot day is covered with the sun trying to survive the darkening skies. I sat down on our window looking at people shoveling sand on their rooftops. People walking in the streets had mud all over their being. Electric power and telecommunications were all disabled. There was no light aside from the lit of the candles. We had to evacuate from our wooden house to our relative’s home for safety. And on that night, still clear in my mind, I was wondering – will the sun rise in the morning? I was engulfed by the darkness around me that I began to doubt the sun will show up after all what happened. I fell asleep thinking about this and woke up with the sun rays beaming on my face. Yes constantly, the sun rises.
Herod was perplexed. Herod just struck out John, yet Jesus steps up to the plate. He knows he just put John to a stop, yet Jesus is all ready to get it on. Johns’ life and death was a foreword to the saving work of Christ. No, He is not absent, Herod just not know Him yet. The Son shows up. The Son rises.
So very true in our lives. When it seems we are covered in black and blue. When it seems our vision blurs into the dust. When it seems we are not on the top of the situation. When it seems our lifestyle keeps muddying our hearts. When it seems our capabilities are disabled. When it seems we see just a glimpse of a small portion of radiance in our difficulties. When it seems we tend to evacuate from our place of shelter. Jesus bursts into the picture. His presence explodes before our eyes. His grace floods our souls. He heats up the cold heart. No, He is not absent in our darkness, we just don’t acknowledge Him. Yet constantly, the Son rises.
HEADWIND CANOE 