Facing the Sun

The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace. NUMBERS 6:24–26 

After a few dreary days, she smiled thankfully at the sun. She felt like a sunflower today. She lifted her face, eyes closed, toward the warmth of the light in the sky and thanked God for this feeling. If only she could stay here for another hour and bask in its healing rays. But she had things to do. So she asked God to stay with her and keep the warmth of His love on her all day long. 

Something happens when the sun comes out, especially when you’ve been accustomed to cool or cloudy weather. Maybe it’s why people flock to warmer climates in the winter: a bright and cloudless sky tends to calm us and invite us into a sense of rest. Could it be that the warm sun reminds our souls of the feeling we get when God’s face shines on us? Moses knew it. His face glowed after spending close time with God (Exodus 34:29). Knowing we have God’s attention gives a sense of peace because we know how much He loves us and wants us to thrive. He offers to take our burdens at any time. Being with God means that someone else besides us—the busy, worn-out, weary, insecure women we can be—is truly in control and leading us well. That gives us room to let the tension leave our shoulders and our faces turn upward. When was the last time you sat in the warmth of the sun? Think of that the next time you see the sunshine outside and remember that the face of God is shining on you too. 

God, thank You for never giving up on me. You’ve carried me through some of the darkest seasons of my life. You have brought me so much joy when I felt hopeless, peace where there was distress. May You continue to protect me and my mind from drifting into places that are not covered by Your light. 

In Jesus’s name, Amen. 

This is an excerpt from Unrushed Living: Embracing Simplicity and Savoring Life’s Moments by Sopha Rush – a devotional available on DaySpring.com. Shop all books, journals, and devotions from DaySpring here.