The sunrise signifies a new day, a fresh start, the beginning. The image of a sunrise can fill our hearts with hope. As we watch the bright colors spread across a once-dark sky, the sunrise is a reminder it's time to start over. A new day is coming. As a Christian, that sunrise signifies so much more. Every day will not go our way. We may get sick, a car might need fixed, or we may have a bad day at work. We can choose to dwell on the things that go wrong. In doing so, we will forgot the One who created the day. God created TODAY, YESTERDAY, and TOMORROW. There's a beautiful reminder in the sunrise that no matter how tough a day is, or will be, Christ's mercies are new every morning. God paints the sunrise exactly how He wants it every day. Some days, it may be prettier or brighter. Other days, it may be barely noticeable. God is the author of our lives, just as He is the painter of every sunrise. It's not always easy to remember God is in control. We wake up with a million things spinning in our minds that need to be done. We go about our morning routine, rushing to work, and trying to accomplish as much as we can throughout the day. In the hustle and bustle of routine, we often forget to find time for God within our busy day.
As sure as the sun rises, God will be with you each day, no matter what the day brings.
The sunset signifies the ending of a day, finality, completion. The sunset paints a picture of the beauty we can find in the day or sometimes relief that a day is over. Again, we are reminded that not every day ends as we thought it would and not everything went according to our plans. We are also reminded that God adds detail in our daily lives. Sometimes those details turn out to be beautiful colors across the sky to end a long day. Sometimes those details turn out to be heartbreak, sickness, or anxiety. There is always a purpose-whether the details produce beauty or ashes. At the end of the day, once our tasks are completed, many of us find ways to relax to get our mind off the present day and to avoid worrying about tomorrow. Just as we started our day with a million things running through our minds, we finish our day thinking about things we could've changed or things we wanted to go differently. In our effort to wind down from a long day, we often don't take time to see God in our day. How can you not see God? Could it be that you weren't looking for Him?
Psalm 113:3(KJV)-From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same, the Lord's name is to be praised.
Wow. What a humbling reminder of how we should praise God from day to day. I don't always remember to do this. Some days take up so much mental, emotional, or physical energy that we are left wondering where God is throughout the day. He's been right there all along. Sometimes we get too busy and we aren't looking for Him. God will always meet us where we are, but it's our job to seek Him. It's our responsibility to engage in relationship with our Creator...not just on our good days, but also on the worst days we have. On the good days, it's easy to praise. On the bad days, we don't even want to lift up our face. I know because I've been there. I've been at the lowest point in my life when I didn't think God was listening or cared about what I was going through anymore. Everyone gets to a breaking point in their life. It's up to you to decide where you will stand with God. Will you still be able to praise God or will you want to curse Him? Will you keep serving God or will you forsake Him?
Joseph is a prime example of how God is in the details of our lives. Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers around the age of 17. He was a servant. Then he was promoted in Potiphar's house. He was falsely accused by Potiphar's wife. Then he was put in prison. He was finally released from prison and once again promoted. He had a dream about his brothers before being taken captive as a slave. That dream did not come to pass until many, many years later. Joseph never stopped serving God throughout this time. I'm sure he wondered what God was doing. Maybe he had a harder time praising when he was in prison than he did when he was in charge of Pharaoh's house. The beginning of Joseph's story did not look like the ending, but God was working in every day. Here is what Joseph had to say when he was re-united with his brothers:
Genesis 50:20-As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.
I can't promise you each day serving God will be easy. I can tell you that God is the Author of every sunrise, sunset, and everything that happens in between. His name is to be praised, no matter what our day brings. We have to make up our minds that we will serve the Lord, come what may. We are not promised an easy road, but we are promised eternal life at the end of all our days. What a wonderful reason to praise God...on the good days and the bad. If you have no other reason, then simply praise Him for His creation of today. When today is too hard, praise Him for a new day tomorrow. He'll be there for it all. We can praise our God from sunrise to sunset.
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