Sunrise, Sunset

The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever. --Isaiah 40:8

Lord, what are human beings that you care for them,

mere mortals that you think of them?

They are like a breath;

their days are like a fleeting shadow. --Psalm 144:3-5

I love sunsets and sunrises. The sky never displays so many rich, bright pinks and oranges as it does at the beginning and end of the day. Recently I was driving home admiring a vibrant sunset much like the one pictured above. I was feeling a bit sad that they only last a few minutes, and it occurred to me how many of the beautiful experiences God gives us in life are so brief. We wait all winter for spring flowers to poke their heads up out of the soil and show off their blooms, but many of these blooms only last for a week or two and are gone again until next spring. A wedding, a tender moment with a loved one, visiting places on our "bucket list"...these are moments that are longed for and bring such joy, and yet before we know it the moment has passed and we must savor our memories. In fact, our very life itself is more fleeting than we sometimes realize.

I wonder if God designed these moments to be brief. Perhaps He uses these moments to teach us to slow down and savor them when they come. Perhaps they would be less special if they lasted longer. Perhaps they are His way of tapping us on the shoulder and saying, "Hey, just stop for a minute. I have a gift for you and I want you to enjoy it with Me". Whatever the reason, we all need a reminder from time to time to slow down and notice the beauty and joy God places in front of us every day. Imagine how the world would be different if our priority each day was to look for the beauty in the world, instead of looking for what is wrong with it. What a light we could be in the darkness! How much more God's light could shine into our own lives and help us see the abundance of blessings all around us.

Lord, give us eyes to see the beauty You have placed all around us. Help us to intentionally look for it, and to share our joy with others. In Jesus' name, Amen.