"But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up…"(Mal. 4:2).  

     There is nothing more important than sunlight.  There would not be any life on earth without it.   Plants can only live and grow because of the sun. The sun shining down on green leaves starts plant manufacturing systems into action.  It provides them with the power to derive carbon dioxide from the air, and water from the soil, and turns these substances into sugar and starch, which is their food.  This process is called photosynthesis.  This process is carried on only when plant tissues containing chlorophyll (green pigment) are exposed to light.  Without light, plants turn yellow.

     All plants need some sun, some more than others.  Nowadays though we have artificial light.  Men keep inventing new and better means of making light.  Plants can grow now in this artificial light and do very well.

     But artificial light will never produce a plant that will grow in the Lord's garden.  If we are to bud and flower and grow into the image of the Lord Jesus Christ, we must be always looking at the "Sun" - the "Sun" of righteousness.  Only the beams from this "Sun" will make us grow as He grew.  We must be always looking to Him so that we can be lightened (Psa. 34:5). It is only if we with open face behold as in a glass the glory of the Lord that we will be changed into the same image, from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord (II Cor. 3:18).  

     Here is the great difference between His sunlight and artificial light.  His sunlight is the light of the world. This light cannot be made by man - though he keeps trying; it is the light of life - God's life (Jn. 8:12).  

     Have we seen it?  Do we have it?  Are we looking for it?  Are we living plants - growing in the "Sun?" If we are, we are continually looking for the coming of the "Sun" (Heb. 9:28).

     Oh Lord, may we be found of you in peace, without spot and blameless on this last day (II Pet. 3:3-14).  May we not be as the mushroom that grows in the dark woods.  Its food is the decaying matter of the earth.  (Some mushrooms are edible, but many are poison; none are capable of sustaining life for very long).

     Dear reader, if you do not have the "Sun" of righteousness as your light, and life, you are as the mushroom, feeding on rotten decayed matter all of your life (Isa. 44:20).  Ask the Master Gardener to shine on you so that you can become one of His beautiful lilies or cedar trees.  There are no mushrooms in the Lord's garden.