In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.  He created a sun and a moon, and created night and day.  In the day, the sun brings light.  In the night, it's dark, but the moon gives us a little light.  Now, when morning comes we say that the sun is rising.  We say this because we cannot feel the earth rotating, and we cannot feel the earth moving.  Actually, it is not that the sun is rising, it's that the earth is turning towards the sun.  Because it turns toward the sun, everything gets brighter, and because that part of the earth is closer to the sun, it gets warmer.  Listen to this, if there were nothing but complete darkness all the time, trees would not grow, grass would not grow, flowers would not blossom.  In addition, we would find it difficult to find our way.  Sure, we have the moonlight, but is it really enough to see everything?  Take away electricity, can we really see well in the dark?  No, so we wait for the earth to turn again, so that the sun can bring light to the world, and we can see.

 

So let us look at 2 Chronicles 7:14 - "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."  After we have humbled ourselves, after we have prayed, after we have sought God, the Word requested the people to turn from their wicked ways.  When we read the passages before and after this verse, we see God making a covenant with the people through Solomon.  There was a condition, or an action which had to be taken to avoid God sealing up the rains, and sending the locusts to devour the fields. (Side note, notice that this is what God refers to in Malachi when the Word states that He would open the windows of heaven, because the people turned back to God and He allowed the rains to resume and the fields to flourish with such a great harvest that they would not have enough room to store what was reaped). 

 

So as the earth must turn to face the sun, we must also turn to face the Son.  We say the sun rises, but actually the earth turns toward the sun. Likewise, the Son did rise, but the important thing is that we turn toward to Son.  See, Jesus did rise, and we must acknowledge and confess that.  But what good would it be for us if we never turned to Him?  He rose, but we still die.  True salvation doesn't come from the resurrection of Christ, it comes when we turn from our ways to get closer to Him; thus creating a relationship with Christ.  Not a religion, but a relationship.  We can't get to heaven because of the resurrection alone, we must also turn in addition to the fact that He was risen from the dead by God.  The earth must turn completely around to get out of darkness and into the light of the sun.  So if we want to get out of the darkness in our lives, we must completely turn around to receive the light of the Son.

 

When we turn, people should notice a difference in you.   People who may have known you long ago before you came to Christ, should look at you and notice something different.  A comment such as, "You've changed", or "There is something different about you."  Why do I say this?  Because I so often hear ministers teach that we don't have to change who we are when we come to Christ.  But if the truth be known, the Word of God says that we must put off the old man and put on the new man; that we renew our minds, be born again, and become a new creature.  So if all things are made new, that means that God has created a new living being in you, which will be different from the old you.  In a sense, it's like comparing night and day.  You can't say that night and day are the same; they are quite different, and they are on opposite sides.  On one side is darkness, and the other side is light!  On satan's side is darkness, and on the Lord's side is light!

 

So that brings us to Philippians 2:15 - "That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;"  When we have been born again; when we have been made new, following the Word of God should prove us blameless and harmless, and it declares that we are the sons of God.  Even though the world be evil, we can still be a light in the midst of all the darkness.  The world would have no light without the sun, and likewise the world would have no light without the Son shining through you!  And John also testifies of this in  1 John 3:1 - "Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not."

 

So how do you know if you are a son of God?  The world should not know you at all; plainly, it's to be different from the world in which the world cannot identify with you.  So let us all make sure that we have turned closer to the Son, so that we get closer to Christ in our relationship with Him.  He will keep us warm, His light will cause us to grow, and His light shall forever guide us, so that we can see clearly and not be left in the dark!  I stand in awe of the Glory of our Father, our Saviour, and our Comforter.  And as we have turned, let us teach others how to turn as well.  That is what discipleship is all about, and it's our commission from Jesus.  Now may the peace of God which passes all understanding, guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.