"We are dawn people."

I've been getting up early to go out and exercise. It's cold and the pumping of my arms warms my cheeks and fingers. Our lithe little dog runs back and forth to keep pace with me as we go around the block, through the park and up past the local pool.

I can see early morning headlights rising over the train line and slowly-filling carriages thunder past sometimes. The sky is navy with a couple of tardy stars and a rumour of daylight. I try to run rather than shuffle, while dawn happens.

I am acqainting myself with the transition of night to day. Enjoying the emergence of light.

Later, I listen to Tim Keller talk about being dawn people. We are people of the light but the darkness lingers. One day we will live full in the sun, but while we wait for that fulfilment, we are walking in the pale, dark sunrise.

That's why we struggle with living the triumphant, sunshine life. That's why our thinking drifts to darkness, and we cannot find the way sometimes. That's why the light gently draws us on - nudging and caressing us into the day.

Have patience. Be ready. The sun is rising amongst us. We are the people of the dawn.