”Civil Twilight” begins in the early morning when the sun reaches six degrees below the horizon. At this time, sky begins to lighten, although the sun has not actually risen (the afternoon version of civil twilight occurs after the sun has set, and lasts until it also reaches six degrees below the horizon).
During my morning walks, I look forward to this heralding of a new day. It reminds me that in spiritual terms, we presently live in a time of light, but of light not nearly as bright as it will one day be.
“But now we see through a glass darkly, but then, face to face. Then shall I know, even as also I am known” (I Corinthians 13:12).
God’s illumination can be amazingly glorious at times as He blesses us with new and greater displays of His goodness. David declared of such seeing, “The path of the just is as the shining light, which shineth more and more unto the perfect day” (Proverbs 4:18). We rejoice in such discoveries of the wonder that is our Lord Jesus Christ. However, we always know that we’ve seen nothing yet as we are going to see. We thus live “looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13).
The foreshadowings of light, often brilliant, and the glory of perfect light to come - this is gift of God’s grace in Christ to all who have trusted in His saving grace. Let us expect in this day glimpses of such glory as our Heavenly Father graces us with the “civil twilight” of His current display. But let us anticipate far more the rising of the sun (Son) to come, when not only will we see light, but we will serve as the lamps thereof. “Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father” (Matthew 13:43). Pardon me now as I go to greet civil twilight and the rising of the sun in this new day.
“God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”
(II Corinthians 4:6)
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