DUSK AND DAWN ARE BOTH UNIQUE TIMES of the daily cycle. “God made two great lights. God set them in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth, to govern the day and the night, and to separate light from darkness.” (Gen. 1:16-18) They share a glory unique to each of them, as a celestial hand paints the ever-changing sky with all of the color palette visible to the human eye. And it is not only visual, for the soundtracks of the dawn or dusk songbirds that accompany each of them delight the ear equally in range as the eye is lit or dimmed. One awakens us to a new day and its tasks; the other begins a pattern of relaxation that draws us to rest. Those who intentionally engage with the daily rhythms are alive to it and in it. This is the kinesthetic habit of celebrating the eternal moment. It prepares us to flow through the rotation of the seasons with steady purpose, and it immerses us holistically into the rhythm of the cosmos.
The Talmud says that dawn begins seventy-two minutes before sunrise. This is a time of prayer for the observant Jew, before the light of day begins, and calls to the tasks of the day. Such was the practice of Jesus. It started his day right. His preparations began in expectation, much as the Psalmist, who says “My soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning.” (Psa. 130:6) He arose eagerly, and slipped away to commune with his source: “Very early, while it was still dark, Jesus got up and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.” (Mark 1:35) Only then could he be ready for his never-ending tasks, as his disciples would come looking for him, saying “Everyone is looking for you!” (Mark 1:37) His purpose was singular, and he always kept himself in rhythm by keeping himself refreshed in the presence of God.
We are not often that way, though we may want to be, and suspect that somehow, we could be. We are modern man, and in our man-made world the natural order has been reversed or blurred in its cycles, and the cosmological rhythms of life have been disrupted. This started well before the Industrial Age, but in the mid-eighteenth century, as agriculture gave way to manufacturing, the pace of life increased. Fast-forward to the current Age of Information, and that pace has literally approached the speed of at least fiber-optic light. The organic rhythms of life have become a breathless sprint through life-cycles in the lust to make the world and even the stars our very own. “Many will go here and there to increase knowledge.” (Dan. 12:4) Perhaps we have rebuilt the Tower of Babel (cf. Gen. 11:1-9), far better than before, much higher than before, and due to our expertise, failsafe as we resolutely penetrate the very heavens. We not only reach out past unknown galaxies; we believe we can conquer them.
It is not just possible that we have missed something—it is a certainty. Simple perceptive observation of world culture gives all the evidence necessary. The hackneyed anonymous quote says it well: “Hurry is not of the devil; it is the devil.” Jesus cautioned, “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” (Matt. 7:13-14) He was speaking, of course, of eternal life, but in a context that not many could understand; eternal life is already in the now, and to have its full benefit we must desire it, look for it, and pay attention to it. All around us, people live in the haunted rubble of the destruction of their identities and souls. “If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!” (Matt. 6:23) “What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Mark 8:36-37) These are questions that must be answered, lest we perish.
God has provided our call to action in these matters through Jesus. “But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings.” (Mal. 4:2) “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you.” (Isa. 60:1) We would be wise to respond, for “The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day.” ( Pro. 4:18) And scripture speaks of a reward, “Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard. Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: ‘Here am I.’” (Isa. 58:8)
We have practiced not just independence, but also rebellion, and suffered their respective rewards. We have established rhythms of life that have separated us not only from creation, but from the Creator. John warns, “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them.” (1 John 2:15) He adds, “The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.” (1 John 2:17) Only when dependence on God has come does an authentic life begin, and only then can we break away from unhealthy erratic cycles and find our own true rhythm.
Q. Am I in synchronous symbiotic rhythm with the leading of the Father?
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