SUNRISE, SUNSET!

‘Sunrise’. A photo by Ravi Sharma on Unsplash. 

The rising and the setting of the sun is the greatest, most all-encompassing, worldwide metaphor God ever gave us.  EVERYDAY, everyone who is alive in this world experiences the rising and setting of the sun, whether they see it or not.  As the earth rotates in its orbit, it moves us from darkness to light and light to darkness.  And what did God tell Moses to say to His people, the children of Israel recorded in the book of Deuteronomy chapter 30?

“I HAVE SET BEFORE YOU TODAY LIFE AND DEATH, BLESSING AND CURSING; THEREFORE, CHOOSE LIFE.”  God has set before us a choice, a choice perfectly represented metaphorically in the rising and setting of the sun!  As the sun rises, it spreads its beautiful light as far as the eye can see!  This light brings warmth and life to everything it touches.  Without the light of the sun, everything including you and I would die.  And who does the scripture say to choose if you want to live.  

Who is ‘the LIGHT of the world?’  Who is ‘the way, the truth, and the LIFE?’  JESUS!  To ‘choose life’ is to choose Him.  Let the ‘Son’ rise in your life!

You noticed that God included the word TODAY in the above scripture to let us know that this opportunity to ‘choose life’ is NOW.  Upon your death, you will lose the opportunity to choose.  It will be too late!  He also used the word ‘today’ to tell you that the ’age of grace’ that we are currently living in will also come to an end, and again, the opportunity to choose will end.  As the evangelist Billy Graham said,” Jesus Christ died for the sins of the world and extended His mercy and grace to whoever will receive Him as Lord and Savior” (‘The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.’
Revelation 22:17). “God’s offer of forgiveness and new life still stands. But this period of grace will not go on indefinitely, and someday it will be too late for men and women to repent and turn to the Lord Jesus Christ.”

The sun will have set.

God also set before all of us the opportunity to choose death.  To choose death is to not choose life.  Or in other words, to not choose is also a choice.  A sunset is a glorious spectacle of the love and beauty of God!  It is like God is saying, ‘I love you!  All the beauty of my sunset is my reminder that this is your last chance to choose wisely before the darkness comes.  Or as the Apostle Peter put it in 2 Peter 3:9-10, ‘He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.’ 

But, as everyone knows, the sun will set, and ‘the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare.’  Whoa. 

Thank God if you chose the ‘Son’ rise, ‘He will rescue you from the dominion of darkness and bring you into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption and the forgiveness of sins. Colossians 1:13-14.  CHOOSE!!!

And He will ‘satisfy you in the morning with His unfailing love, that you may sing for joy and be glad all your days.’ Psalm 90:14.