Friday, February 5, 2021

FMF: Sunrise

“If a thief is caught breaking in at night and is struck a fatal blow, the defender is not guilty of bloodshed; but if it happens after sunrise, the defender is guilty of bloodshed." (Exodus 22:2-3, NIV)

This is not a political statement.
Thank you for not misconstruing this post.

What does the sunrise change? If you were an Israelite living in the time of Moses, everything. According to law of Exodus, it determined the guilt in your actions. Think about this way: In the safety of the light, you could see who was breaking in.  Your neighbors were likely awake to answer your call for help. It is not the same in the dark.  The light changes everything.

In our faith, we also have a spiritual sunrise. Lots of them. My denomination calls that process sanctification. It is the continual process of the Holy Spirit revealing to each believer what is right.  At certain points what was once justifiable no longer is. It is like James says, "If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them." (James 4:17, NIV)

And we don't all get there at the same time. Maybe that is why God tells us not to be careful in issuing judgement. We will never have adequate information to make the right decision in all cases.  We may get some right, but we'll definitely get some wrong too. So we are warned to judge carefully, to confirm if the sun has risen for the person standing before us.



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This post is a prompt from Five Minute Friday and was written in approximately five minutes.
For more information, visit fiveminutefriday.com.
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11 comments:

  1. Very thought provoking! I never looked at sunrise this way. Thanks for sharing!

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  2. The Light changes everything, doesn't HE?

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  3. I shall have to think about this one! Thank you.

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  4. May we all be sanctified and see the Light?

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  5. WOW! That is just.... WOW!
    ❤️Terri D

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  6. I Constantly need to Holy Spirit to work in me
    Visiting from fmf #16

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  7. This is such a great take on the prompt! I wondered where you were going with that verse from Exodus, but that is a great insight!

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  8. I've endured the darkest night,
    and have done what was required,
    but in the cold dawn-morning light,
    I rather wish I had retired,
    for the monsters that I saw
    were of my imagination;
    while I didn't break the law,
    I sure flirted with damnation
    for in error I assumed
    that the trespass, it was dire,
    and I think what I assumed
    may just put me in the fire
    without an ice-cold beer to drink,
    for, damn it all, I didn't think.

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  9. Hi Aime! Wow! That is a great observation. I know that I have grown in my walk with the Lord, so giving the same grace to other people is important.

    Beth FMF #36

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  10. Your words are very convicting. Thank you for writing them. Happy FMF

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  11. What does the sunrise change? For me, it opens the door to a new day - fresh grace and new mercies. So thankful for the Light! ~ Deanna @ WisdomFromAFather

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