“Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord from the heavens, praise him in the heights above. Praise him, all his angels, praise him, all his heavenly hosts. Praise him, sun and moon, praise him, all you shining stars. Praise him, you highest heavens and you waters above the skies. Let them praise the name of the Lord, for he commanded and they were created.”—Psalm 148:1-5
I love sunsets.
Last night I walked my dog up our street and noticed a brilliant fushia-pink sunset unfolding before my eyes. The horizon over the trees was a brilliant white-yellow and ribbons of wispy gray clouds floated over the pinks and purples and muted oranges. Houses and trees were silhouetted against the brilliant colors and as I walked up hill, I noticed a silence, as if the street was settling down for the night. Getting tucked in. I couldn’t help praising God for this breath-taking event, one we often take for granted—the ending of a day.
That’s really what makes up life, isn’t it? The beginning and ending of our days and everything in the middle. My “Everything in the Middle” portion lately has been very challenging, as I walk the road of recovery with my daughter who got a concussion several weeks ago. It has been grueling on many levels and we are not at the end of the journey yet. But there is a beginning and ending of each day—a promise of hope, that the God who created the universe is with us in the “middle” and still bookends each day with a fabulous display of color and peace in the skies.
Seeing the sunset gave me hope, joy, and peace. It gave me pause to truly praise the Lord for all He is doing in our lives. As I walked to a local park and let my dog sniff around and do her business, I watched the colors dissipate and finally dull to grays and oranges. I knew it was a gift to see it when I did. I can still see it in my head and remember it today.
If your week is going well or not so well, know that God graces you with hope, joy, and love. He bookends your days with beauty. If you need to, go out and look at a sunrise and sunset. Praise Him for the King that He is!
Prayer—“God of creation, you bookend our days with beauty. Help us to see your beauty all around us and praise you for all that you do. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.”
Prayer For All Days 