No Sunset in Heaven

As I was finishing my evening bike ride I was struck with the beauty of the sunset. The fleeting moments of the end of another day on our small corner of the earth are so awe inspiring that it leaves us speechless. And yet in Heaven with no more darkness or night there will be no more sunset. The face of Jesus who has perfectly been designing millions of sunsets with no two alike will be more.

That glimpse of sunset reminds us that one day it will be the last sunset and our time here is limited. And I was reminded of the song Wait a Little Longer.

One day may be all that we have to touch a heart, share a burden, dry a tear or feed the hungry. What a Heaven without sunset is like we can’t know but we can shine the love of Christ to someone before dark.

Back to Normal?

In him was life and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it. John 1:4-5 ESV

Often our Christmas celebrations end on Christmas Eve. We’ve remembered the stable, the star, the wise men shepherds and Mary. But don’t forget that the next day the shepherds went back to their sheep, the angels to Heaven and Joseph probably got a room at the inn. In other words life pretty much got back to normal – or did it?

The Bible tells us that in Him was life and the life was the light of men. When did that tiny baby begin to shine God’s light? Could it have happened as Mary comforted his cries when they fled from Herod’s soldiers? Could it have begun in Egypt where they lived for years as immigrants and fugitives? The Bible isn’t specific about the details, but tells us that all through those supernatural days and every other day, God’s light was still shining in Jesus.

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So on Christmas morning, whether you are watching your children open gifts or if you are alone with a cup of coffee remember His light is still shining for you. He didn’t come just for days when the wise men opened gifts, the angels sang and shepherds wondered. Jesus came for every dark day. Jesus was born to walk through every war-zone, sit at every kitchen table and ride along in the ambulance to every emergency room. He doesn’t leave us when we fail, get in trouble, or fall ill. He stays through good times and bad. He is not only the light of the world: He is the light of our world and no darkness can ever put it out!

 

Real help for Real trouble

Sometimes it is comforting to hide behind a wall of silence in an attempt to maintain an appearance of okay-nes. But walls and pretending do nothing to help.

The reality is that every day without God’s help we are free falling ever deeper into the dark abyss of fear. How wonderfully loving of our God who always knows the truth to have His grace available to us when we cry out. And through all our trouble it has never been God who is hidden from us but we who have hidden our faces from Him.