The Courageous Sunrise

The Courageous Sunrise

It was too early when the alarm on my phone chimed. Louder and louder it rang until I reached over and clumsily turned it off. I rolled over with a groan, stretching my stiff muscles.

With a deep breath and a grumpy grunt I pushed myself out of bed and began to get ready for the long car ride that awaited me. It was still dark out as I stumbled my way into the kitchen.

Who in their right mind gets up before the sun? Hmmm, most people I guess. Maybe I will be one of them someday soon.

Thoughts of sunrises and the hope of one day being healthy filled my mind as I ate breakfast and took my medicines. I was getting ready for a three-day trip to see my medical specialist and I was hoping for some good news.

Finally light began to creep through the shades and when I went to open them I was amazed. God had painted the most beautiful sky! With a bounce in my step I hurried to open other curtains as I exclaimed aloud at the beauty I was so blessed to see.

I grabbed my cell phone and took a few photos through the dining room windows. It would have to do, I had to finish getting ready and packing for the trip.

I looked out a window every chance I got that morning. The shaft of light reaching to the sky put things in perspective, reminding me that God knows my future and that He is with me every step of the way.

That sunrise was special, and not just because it was so beautiful. Typically sunrises are quick. They sky is amazing for a few brief minutes before settling in to more ordinary colors. This sunrise, however, stayed incredible for well over an hour.

I lost count of how many colors the sun turned the sky that morning, but each and every one of them were breathtaking. The first part of the drive my family and I kept commenting on how beautiful it still was, stopping to take more photos further down the road.

And that shaft of light pointing to the sky? It stayed there for the entire sunrise, and then a bit longer. I remembered that special sunrise during the next two weeks. You see, God knew just what I needed. He knew I needed hope and beauty and something to hold on to when my three-day trip to the doctor turned into a two-week fight of my life.

I’m home now and recovering, a bit traumatized, but on the road to the healthiest me yet. And I still think of that sunrise, the special gift of God to remind me to be courageous and fight. Just as the courageous sunrise lasted longer than it should have, I had to be courageous too, and to fight just a little longer then I was expecting.