Sunrise in Croatia

“In the heavens he has pitched a tent for the sun, which is like a bridegroom coming forth from his pavilion, like a champion rejoicing to run his course. It rises at one end of the heavens and makes its circuit to the other; nothing is hidden from its heat.”
--Psalm 19:4b-6

We woke up sometime around 4am and yawned ourselves into some clothes. The four of us then made our way through the empty streets of Makarska, Croatia to find a good place to watch the sunrise. As we walked in the chilly, grey pre-dawn, I was struck with how much this early-morning time of day looks like the dusk of early evening. But there is a great difference: evening dusk is the first sign of the death of the day, but this early morning greyness is the first sign that the darkness of night is about to be overcome.

We finally settled on the harbor as the best place to watch the sunrise. In truth, we would not be able to see the sun because it was to rise somewhere behind the mountains and the trees, but it was the most eastern-facing spot we could find.

So there we were, four quiet, sleepy college students, assembled to wait for the coming sun, but we were not the only ones waiting. The clouds, the sea, the mountains, even the moon herself were all assembled to see the sun rise. And although we could never really see the sun over the mountains, we could see how all creation reflects the sun’s glory when he comes. The moon is visible because of his light—although she will soon be overshadowed by his glory; the clouds change color with gladness—pink to yellow to cream to white; and the water reflects the glory that the coming sun makes in the clouds.

The psalmist compares this coming sun to “a bridegroom coming forth from his pavilion.” And indeed, we and all creation waited for him as a bride waits for a bridegroom and rejoiced when he came. But if we gather in this way to watch the glory of this daily bridegroom, how much more do we, together with all creation, await with joy and hopeful expectation the coming of the true Bridegroom, who is not a created thing like the sun, but the Creator himself? How much greater will be the joy when Jesus, instead of the sun, comes on the clouds (1 Thess. 4:16-17)? What marvelous colors will the clouds then display to honor his coming?

That morning we eagerly looked for sunrise after a night of darkness. How much more ought we to eagerly look for the return of the One who is the true light of the world, who will restore day forever to this world of darkness? The creation itself groans in expectation of his coming (Rom. 8:19-22), and we long to be clothed with the imperishable (1 Corin. 15:53-56) and to know that death and decay is finally defeated! Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! We wait for you more than watchmen wait for the morning (Psalm 130:6).