OUR DAILY BREAD : SONGBIRD IN THE DARK

[cimi]

March 1
Saturday

SONGBIRD IN
THE DARK


READ:
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The Dayspring from on
high has visited us.
__Luke 1:78
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Just before the sunrise, we often hear songbirds welcoming the dawn. Despite the darkness, we know that the radiant light of the sun will soon appear.

Fanny Crosby has been called "The Songbird in the Dark." Though blinded in infancy, she wrote hymns that inspirationally envision our future reunion with Christ. Early in her life, Fanny had a dream in which she saw the panorama of a glorious heaven, and many of her songs reflect that theme. By the time of her death, she had penned at least 8,000 hymns. Songs such as "Tell Me the Story of Jesus" and "To God Be the Glory" are still popular today.

When Zacharias praised God in anticipation of the Messiah, he also looked forward to a spiritual sunrise. Citing Malachi 4:2, he proclaimed: "The Dayspring [sunrise] from on high has visited us; to give light to those who sit in darkness" (Luke 1:78-79). That Messiah came to earth, died for our sins, rose again, ascended, and promised to return for us.

Do you feel surrounded by dark and confusing circumstances? You can still lift your praise to God for the bright future you will share with His Son. The words of Fanny Crosby's beloved hymn "Blessed assurance" encourage us as we anticipate this glorious reunion with Christ.
__Dennis Fisher
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```````````````Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!``````````````````
```````````````O what a foretaste of glory divine!``````````````````
```````````````Heir of salvation, purchase of God,`````````````````
`````````Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood. __ Crosby```````````
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For the Christian, the dark sorrows of earth will one
day be changed into the bright songs of heaven.

*************Today's Bible Reading __ Luke 1:67-80****************

67 Now his father
Zacharias was filled with
the Holy Spirit, and
prophesied, saying:

68 "Blessed is the Lord God
of Israel, for He has visited
and redeemed His people,

69 and has raised up a horn
of salvation for us in the
house of His servant David,

70 as He spoke by the mouth
of His holy prophets, who
have been since the world
began, 71 that we should be
saved from our enemies and
from the hand of all who
hate us, 72 to perform the
mercy promised to our
fathers and to remember
His holy covenant, 73 the
oath which He swore to our
father Abraham: 74 To grant
us that we, being delivered
from the hand of our
enemies, might serve Him
without fear, 75 in holiness
and righteousness before
Him all the days of our life.

76 "And you, child, will be
called the prophet of the
Highest; for you will go
before the face of the Lord
to prepare His ways, 77 to
give knowledge of salvation
to His people by the
remission of their sins,

78 through the tender mercy
of our God, with which the
Dayspring from on high has
visited us; 79 to give light to
those who sit in darkness
and the shadow of death, to
guide our feet into the way
of peace."

80 So the child grew and
became strong in spirit, and
was in the deserts till the day
of his manifestation to Israel.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Though John's gospel account follows a different track than
the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke), we see here a common
thread between Luke and John. Both introduce Messiah (Christ) by
first introducing His forerunner, John the Baptist. In Luke, we see
the Baptizer's birth; in John, we see his mission. __WEC