Sunrise, Sunset

I see Your face in every sunrise
The colors of the morning are inside Your eyes
The world awakens in the light of the day
I look up to the sky and say
You're beautiful

-Phil Wickham

The past few weeks, a dear friend of mine has been texting me to remind me to look at every sunrise and every sunset. This has been an awesome blessing and reminder. Now that the time change has occurred, I get to witness God's gracious designs every morning on my way to work at 6:45. A full thirty minute show. And it never fails that on this drive, Phil Wickham's voice comes out of my speakers and reminds me that I am looking at the face of God as I pursue the sunrise. I literally have the privilege of driving into God's glory every morning, how cool?

"The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands."

{Psalm 19:1}

I am so thankful that I have a God who is not just some dead guy that was worshiped once upon a time. He is a living, breathing, concrete man who lives inside of my heart. This man that I speak of loves me unconditionally, even with my bucket of troubles and gallons of tears. He is, was, and always will be. He is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I am working on trusting him with my future, my whole being. But, the funny thing is, he already has it under control. My lack of trust and faith in his work is what got me that bucket of troubles and my gallons of tears. So why not trust? Is it a blatant lack of faith? Fear? I don't have a good reason, I just have a good God that I know I need to place my trust in.

Sunrises and sunsets are amazing to me. The second I wake up, I look out my window. I can tell by this little glance if the sunrise is going to be spectacular. The mere reflection of the sun on the clouds is an indicator for what is to come that morning. Half of the period of time that the sunrise occurs is just a reflection, not even the real thing. The sun often waits to make it's appearance until long after the colors in the sky have made theirs. 

But, it's still beautiful. 

I hope that is how my God sees me. 

Just a mere reflection of his work and glory, but still beautiful. 

Not even the full show, but still beautiful. 

I long to be that reflection. So that others may see his glory in me. So that I can shine the light of Christ and share it with all of the world. But only until the real thing comes, the full show starts, and our God receives the biggest blessing in history, "that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth." {Philippians 2:10} Oh how I stand on tip-toe for that day. The coming of my King. 

It's so funny to me that we know these things, yet we ignore them. We know that God's plan is better than ours, but we still choose our way. I've got news for you party people: OUR WAY STINKS. Like last week's garbage. So why do we choose it? I think it's easier. What about you? 

Your challenge:

The next time you are driving into the sunrise or the sunset, do me a favor. 

Look behind you (at a stop sign of course). What do you see? 

A pretty sky, maybe some clouds, maybe a tree or two. 

Now turn back around. What do you see? 

The overwhelming glory of God's face? Yeah. Me too. 

I like to think of that as God's way and the pretty sky with a couple of trees as my way. Sure, it's nice to look at and doesn't look to terrible to be a part of. But is it as spectacular as all that the sunrise has to offer? Is your way as unbelievable as all that God's way has to offer? Not for a second!

I want to choose God's way, friends. I want to love driving into the sunrise and sunset because I know that it is only a sneak peek of all that God has in store for me and for this dreary world. I want to pursue God's face with all that I have. I want to be a reflection of all that he is. I want to stand on tip-toe for all that is to come. Won't you join me?

 

When we arrive at eternity's shore
Where death is just a memory and tears are no more
We'll enter in as the wedding bells ring
Your bride will come together and we'll sing
You're beautiful

Father God, thank you for your wondrous love for me, a simple sinner. Thank you for your mercy and grace. Let us not treat them cheaply. Thank you for the opportunity to get a peek of your glory every day, Lord. I long for the day that you take us to be with you on eternity's shore. Until then, prepare me, refine me, and take me out of my comfort zone. Strengthen me to shine your light in a very dark world. Create in me a bold heart that trusts you unconditionally. I love you with all that I am. Amen.