Morning has broken…9th June 2016

8 Everyone was amazed and gave praise to God. They were filled with awe and said, “We have seen remarkable things today”(Luke 5:26).

Time remains a binding aspect of human life. It is a limitation we cannot change, and is limitless to God. We know that we have a limited span of time or in other words a “Time barrier” from birth to death here on earth.. Even the time available to us here on earth is a sphere unknown to us. But in Romans 13 Paul provides us an understanding of the power of Jesus Christ in breaking the time barrier. “...the time has come for you to wake from your sleep.” Paul writes, “For the moment when we will be saved is closer now than it was when we first believed. The night is nearly over, day is almost here.” Here Paul is referring to the end of our time here on earth but the beginning of a new life with God. He says that it is time that we should wake up for the moment we will be saved is here.

There is a song written by Eleanor Farjeon written in the 1930’s and popularized by Cat Stevens in the 1970’s… a beautiful song both musically as well as lyrically. It is a beautiful song that anyone will like to hear each morning as you wake up…. Morning Has Broken. As much as the melody the lyrics too are beautiful.

Morning has broken like the first morning; Blackbird has spoken like the first bird.Sweet the rain’s new fall sunlit from heaven, Like the first dewfall on the first grass.Praise with elation, praise every morning, God’s recreation of the new day.

Eleanor Farjeon, who wrote the song, when she speaks of “Morning has broken like the first morning…, what does she mean? It seems obvious to me that the first morning is the morning of creation. Is she speaking of the constant and faithfulness of time? Or, is the morning breaking of that day we were saves or can be saved. God on that first morning has made everything suitable for its time. We know that each new morning is a beautiful day filled with His blessings. But we do not have the ability to know of what may entail even the very new hour leave alone the next weak? We must know that whatever we receive each day is based on God’s plan and not of ours. It is knowing and trusting God and believing in faith that no matter what today has brought our way, that through Jesus, there is always a starting over, a new beginning of a new tomorrow - and the hope of a brighter future…For Christians we are promised in the gospel that when we are saved through His name, we have the promise of a new life that comes whole as a fresh new day, restored and complete and made new… through Jesus Christ our saviour.

We can read in the scriptures that whatever we may have done during our day, that day is over, and a new day is here… With the new day provided, we must remember one of Jesus most important teachings: “Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law"(Romans 13:8). We must remember that we have a continuing debt to Jesus that we need to fulfill…that love for one another is a priority.

If we meditate on Jesus' teachings on love, it will be made clear to us that when we are filled with Love for one another, it will not allow us to deviate from God’s Commandments throughout our day to day lives. The commandments such as “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,” and other command, are summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love is the fulfillment of the law”. As Christians we can understand that when one is filled with love for each other, it prevent us from acceding to evil. Therefore when we meditate on Love as required by God, it will be clear to us that with love in our hearts we will not be able to go against any of these commandments...

We can read when Jesus was asked about God’s commandments in Matthew 22: 36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:36-40). Jesus tells us. This very important teaching shows us the importance of love. Love God with all your heart and soul and Love your neighbor as yourself… As believers in Jesus we are blessed with the possibility of redemption from our sins…an assurance of a brand new life…a brand new day. Therefore when we accept Jesus as our saviour we are born again to a new life… and a new day and because of it we should “Praise “God” with elation, praise every morning, God’s recreation of the new day”.

8 Everyone was amazed and gave praise to God. They were filled with awe and said, “We have seen remarkable things today”(Luke 5:26).

8 Everyone was amazed and gave praise to God. They were filled with awe and said, “We have seen remarkable things today”(Luke 5:26). 8 Everyone was amazed and gave praise to God. They were filled with, “We have seen remarkable things today”(Luke 5:26).