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Twice a day there is an hour that is best for taking outdoor photos or video. The first is the hour just after sunrise; the second is the hour just before sunset. These are each called “golden hour”.

Unlike the intensity of midday, when light is sharp and harsh and the contrast between areas of brightness and darkness means loss of detail in the shadows or over-exposure in direct sunlight, “golden hour” is when light is at its best. The sun is low in the sky; this produces a soft, diffused, and warm light. During “golden hour”, the contrast between brightness and shadow is less intense. Shadows are long, adding texture and depth, and colours are richer. It really is “golden hour”.

I’ve attempted to capture video during golden hour. When I have done this even moderately well, the effects can be stunning.

In the Bible there are several references particularly to that moment when dawn breaks. When he fled from Saul, David wrote in Psalm 57:8, “Awake, my soul! Awake, harp and lyre! I will awaken the dawn.” Even in the face of adversity, David sings a song of praise at golden hour.

In Isaiah 58, the Lord calls his people to pursue justice for the needy, providing food, shelter, and clothing. “Then,” Isaiah 58:8 says, “your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.” Living a godly life that cares for others is like “golden hour” in our lives.

Hosea 6 is a call to revival, a call to return to God. “Come, let us return to the Lord,” the chapter begins. In verses 2 and 3, we read, “After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will restore us, that we may live in his presence. Let us acknowledge the Lord; let us press on to acknowledge him. As surely as the sun rises, he will appear; he will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth.” Golden hour becomes the promise of God’s blessing when we seek him.

The most famous “golden hour” in the Bible is the first Easter morning. Luke 24:1 says, “But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb taking the spices they had prepared.” The women went to embalm the body of Jesus, but they met with the biggest surprise ever.

God loves “golden hour”. We can face difficulty knowing the light of his love is warm and soft, like David praising the Lord. We can show his compassion to others knowing the light of his love is warm and soft, like the prophecy in Isaiah. We can turn to him in confession knowing the light of his love is warm and soft, as Hosea tells us. And the Lord can surprise us with the glory of his resurrection power, as he did when the light of that first Easter morning was warm and soft.

Perhaps you are up before dawn. Perhaps you pause as the sun goes down. I invite you to find “golden hour” in the rhythm of your life and remember how much the Lord loves you.

視頻大意翻譯(video Chinese translation):

大家早。

攝影師知道一天有兩次有最好的時間來拍戶外的照片或攝影。第次是日出後的一小時內；第二次是日落前的一個小時。攝影師稱這為”黃金時刻”。

與正午的強度不同，當光線尖銳而刺眼時，明亮和黑暗之間的對比度可能意味著會在陰影中失去些細節或在陽光直射下過度曝光，“黃金時刻”是光線最佳的時候。太陽在低空中，這產生柔和、漫射和溫暖的光線。在「黃金時刻」，明影對比不那麼強烈。陰影很長，增加了紋理和深度。色彩更豐富。這真的是「黃金時刻」。

很多時候，我嘗試在黃金時刻捕捉視頻。當我做得稍微好一點時，效果是驚人的。

在聖經中，有幾處特別提到黎明破曉的那一刻。大衛逃離掃羅時，在詩篇57：8中寫道：“我的靈阿、你當醒起、琴瑟阿、你們當醒起．我自己要極早醒起。” 即使面對逆境，大衛在黃金時刻也會唱一首讚美歌。

在以賽亞書58章中，主呼召他的子民為有需要的人伸張正義，提供食物、住所和衣服。“這樣，”以賽亞書58：8說，“你的光就必發現如早晨的光．你所得的醫治、要速速發明．你的公義、必在你前面行．耶和華的榮光、必作你的後盾。” 過一種關心他人的敬虔生活，就像我們生活中的“黃金時刻”。

何西阿書6章是復興的呼召，是回歸神的呼召。書卷以 “來罷、我們歸向耶和華”開始。然後在第2節和第3節，我們讀到：“過兩天他必使我們甦醒、第三天他必使我們興起、我們就在他面前得以存活。我們務要認識耶和華、竭力追求認識他．他出現確如晨光、他必臨到我們像甘雨、像滋潤田地的春雨。”。當我們尋求神祝福時，黃金時刻就成了神祝福的應許。

當然，聖經中最著名的「黃金時刻」是復活節的第一個早晨。路加福音24：1說：“七日的頭一日、黎明的時候、那些婦女帶着所預備的香料、來到墳墓前。” 婦女們去找耶穌的屍體要做防腐處理，但她們遇到了有史以來最大的驚喜。

神喜歡「黃金時刻」。我們能面對困難知道他愛的光是溫暖和柔和的，就像大衛讚美主一樣。我們可以繼續前進，向別人展示他的憐悯，知道他愛的光是溫暖而柔和的，就像以賽亞書中的預言一樣。我們可以在懺悔中轉向他，知道他愛的光是溫暖而柔和的，就像何西阿呼召我們一樣。主可以用他復活大能的榮耀使我們感到驚訝，就像他在第一個復活節早晨所做的那樣，他的光是溫暖柔和的。

也許你是一個早起的人，黎明前就起床。也許你在太陽下山時會停下來。這星期我邀請你在你生活的節奏中找到「黃金時刻」，並記住主有多愛你。

讓我們禱告.

Grace and peace

Pastor Callum