A ray of sunshine on the mountain
This weekend, Tom, Hanna, Lukas and Emma had planned a mountain hike with their parents. They were looking forward to enjoying the fresh air together and exploring nature. But the higher they climbed, the colder it became, and dark clouds drifted across the sky.
“Brrr, it’s gotten fresh,” Lukas said and pulled his jacket tighter around him.
“It looks like a change in the weather is coming,” her father said, looking up worriedly. “We should hurry up so that we are not surprised by the rain.”
The wind grew stronger and whistled around their ears. Hanna pulled her cap lower over her face. “Somehow it feels a bit like life sometimes – cold, gray and uncomfortable.”
“Yes,” Emma agreed thoughtfully. “Sometimes there are days when everything seems heavy and dark.”
They trudged on along the narrow path. The sky was now almost completely overcast with thick clouds. But suddenly—just at that moment—a single ray of sunlight broke through the dark ceiling. He bathed the mountainside in warm, golden light and made the damp stones and leaves glitter.
“Look!” exclaimed Tom enthusiastically. “In the midst of all the clouds, God sends us a little light!”
Hanna stopped and rummaged in her backpack. She pulled out her little Bible, turned the pages briefly, and then read aloud:
“Arise and become light, for your light is coming, and the glory of the Lord is rising upon you.” (Isaiah 60:1)
Emma smiled. “So that means that even if it is stormy and dark in our lives, there is always a ray of light?”
Tom nodded. “Exactly! God does not forget us. Just like Elijah when he was exhausted and could no longer go on, God gave him new strength. And sometimes he sends us a little ray of sunshine so that we don’t forget that he’s there.”
“Then let’s enjoy the light!” shouted Lukas happily and spread his arms.
While they felt the warm stream on their faces, the hike suddenly didn’t feel so strenuous anymore. The sky might still be cloudy – but they now knew: The light always comes.
Bible passage
The story describing Elijah’s encouragement is found in 1. Kings 19:4-8:
1 Kings 19:4-8 (Schlachter 2000):
“And he went into the wilderness for a day’s journey, and came and sat down under a gorse bush; and he begged that his soul might die, saying, “It is enough!” Take, then, O Lord, my life, for I am no better than my fathers. And he lay down and slept under the gorse bush. And behold, an angel touched him and said to him, “Get up and eat.” And when he looked around him, behold, there was a loaf of bread baked on hot stones by his head, and a pitcher of water. And when he had eaten and drunk, he went back to sleep. And the angel of the Lord came again a second time, touched him, and said, “Get up and eat.” Because the way is too far for you. Then he got up and ate and drank; and strengthened by this food, he wandered 40 days and 40 nights to the mountain of God, Horeb.”
