You wouldn’t find me very sympathetic were you to complain to me about the inconvenience of traveling to or waiting to see your doctor. You may assume this is because of my husband’s profession but you would be wrong. For the first two years following Jacob’s brain surgeries, we traveled to Houston to follow up with his surgeons and neurologist. We’d planned to continue seeing them for the first five years but the Covid pandemic changed all that. By the time travel resumed and appointments opened up, Jacob was married and his care was transferred to Charleston. He and his wife make the day trips together now, but during those initial visits, I accompanied him.
We’d arrive before dawn to take one of four daily commuter flights from our local airport to the international airport in Houston. We boarded in semidarkness and saw the sun rise once we were in the air. Our cell phones registered the time change once we landed and switched off airplane mode. We usually enjoyed a second breakfast after our two and a half hour flight before heading to the medical center for the first of two or three appointments and lab work.
By early afternoon, we drove back to the airport, returned our rented car and shuttled to the terminal. We’d wait through security, have our dinner in the terminal, and watch the sun set together as our jet taxied in from some midwestern destination or other. I always got the window seat since at six foot three, Jacob preferred the aisle for the leg room. I loved the way the sky seemed to tilt around us as the pilot steered away from the airfield but my absolute favorite part was seeing the sun set for a second time that evening.
Traveling rapidly across multiple time zones could theoretically allow you to experience sunrise or sunset twice in the same day I suppose. Since the sun rises in the east and sets in the west, traveling west, we seem to gain time while losing time traveling east. We know that the earth, rotating on its imaginary axis in a path around the sun accounts for daylight and dark. This axis passes through earth’s north and south poles. If I start at any point on earth and begin traveling north, I will eventually reach a point where I begin traveling south. East and west are different. I could begin traveling east and continue on forever. I could also head perpetually west. God’s created order leaves little room for doubt.
“How clearly the sky reveals God’s glory!
How plainly it shows what he has done!
Each day announces it to the following day; each night repeats it to the next.
No speech or words are used, no sound is heard; yet their message goes out to all the world and is heard to the ends of the earth.
God made a home in the sky for the sun; it comes out in the morning like a happy bridegroom, like an athlete eager to run a race.
It starts at one end of the sky and goes across to the other.
Nothing can hide from its heat.”
Psalm 19:1-6 GNT
https://bible.com/bible/68/psa.19.1-6.GNT
The earth was created by God and therefore displays His glory. He is our true north. We can trust that He will never mislead us. He is steadfast and sure. His true and eternal Word marks out safe paths for our feet. He is the bright Morning Star who brings light to darkness. I have a collection of sunsets, photos taken over years in various locations, that leave me speechless even when they pop up time and again on my timeline. What truly amazes me, however, is that no matter how stunning the photos are, the camera simply cannot capture what my eyes see. God created our eyes and every other part of us fully equipped to survive on earth in its atmosphere. He perfectly positioned the planets around a sun and not one has collided with another, and no other is suitable to sustain life. The more we understand, the more we should stand in awe of God. How is it that we struggle with facts discovered and presented by man seeking to explain away the majesty? Are we so blind?
“From the sunrise in the east to the sunset in the west, may the name of the Lord be praised.”
Psalm 113:3 NIRV
https://bible.com/bible/110/psa.113.3.NIRV
The sun is perpetually rising in the east. For every location on earth, there is an east introducing the sun day after day. The sun is forever setting in the west. As it slips below the horizon, it is appearing elsewhere. This is God’s promise ever since the Flood in Noah’s day.
““As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease.””
Genesis 8:22 NIV
https://bible.com/bible/111/gen.8.22.NIV
As long as the earth endures, God is patiently waiting. He has waited thousands of years for all who will believe on the name of His one and only Son, Jesus, to repent. Every day He delays means twenty-four hours for souls to be saved but we must never presume upon His goodness. A day is coming when He will hold Himself back no longer. His judgement is sure. Our God is a consuming fire. (Hebrews 12:29)
“First off, you need to know that in the last days, mockers are going to have a heyday.
Reducing everything to the level of their petty feelings, they’ll mock, “So what’s happened to the promise of his Coming?
Our ancestors are dead and buried, and everything’s going on just as it has from the first day of creation.
Nothing’s changed.”
They conveniently forget that long ago all the galaxies and this very planet were brought into existence out of watery chaos by God’s word.
Then God’s word brought the chaos back in a flood that destroyed the world.
The current galaxies and earth are fuel for the final fire.
God is poised, ready to speak his word again, ready to give the signal for the judgment and destruction of the desecrating skeptics.
Don’t overlook the obvious here, friends.
With God, one day is as good as a thousand years, a thousand years as a day.
God isn’t late with his promise as some measure lateness.
He is restraining himself on account of you, holding back the End because he doesn’t want anyone lost.
He’s giving everyone space and time to change.
But when the Day of God’s Judgment does come, it will be unannounced, like a thief.
The sky will collapse with a thunderous bang, everything disintegrating in a raging inferno, earth and all its works exposed to the scrutiny of Judgment.
Since everything here today might well be gone tomorrow, do you see how essential it is to live a holy life?
Daily expect the Day of God, eager for its arrival.
The galaxies will burn up and the elements melt down that day—but we’ll hardly notice.
We’ll be looking the other way, ready for the promised new heavens and the promised new earth, all landscaped with righteousness.
So, my dear friends, since this is what you have to look forward to, do your very best to be found living at your best, in purity and peace.
Interpret our Master’s patient restraint for what it is: salvation.”
2 Peter 3:3-16 MSG
https://bible.com/bible/97/2pe.3.3-16.MSG
“Lord, you are great.
You are really worthy of praise.
No one can completely understand how great you are.
Parents praise your works to their children.
They tell about your mighty acts.
They speak about your glorious majesty.
I will spend time thinking about your wonderful deeds.
They speak about the powerful and wonderful things you do.
I will talk about the great things you have done.
They celebrate your great goodness.
They sing for joy about your holy acts.
The Lord is gracious, kind and tender.
He is slow to get angry and full of love.
The Lord is good to all.
He shows deep concern for everything he has made.
Lord, all your works praise you.
Your faithful people praise you.
They tell about your glorious kingdom.
They speak about your power.
Then all people will know about the mighty things you have done.
They will know about the glorious majesty of your kingdom.
Your kingdom is a kingdom that will last forever.
Your rule will continue for all time to come.
The Lord will keep all his promises.
He is faithful in everything he does.
Every living thing looks to you for food.
You give it to them exactly when they need it.
You open your hand and satisfy the needs of every living creature.
The Lord is right in everything he does.
He is faithful in everything he does.
I will praise the Lord with my mouth.
Let every creature praise his holy name for ever and ever.”
Psalm 145:3-13, 15-17, 21 NIRV
https://bible.com/bible/110/psa.145.3-21.NIRV
“The Lord is tender and kind.
He is gracious.
He is slow to get angry.
He is full of love.
He won’t keep bringing charges against us.
He won’t stay angry with us forever.
He doesn’t punish us for our sins as much as we should be punished.
He doesn’t pay us back in keeping with the evil things we’ve done.
He loves those who have respect for him.
His love is as high as the heavens are above the earth.
He has removed our sins from us.
He has removed them as far as the east is from the west.”
Psalm 103:8-12 NIRV
https://bible.com/bible/110/psa.103.9-12.NIRV
Praise Him in the morning
Praise Him in the evening
Praise Him when the sun goes down
Love Him in the morning
Love Him in the evening
Love Him when the sun goes down
Serve Him in the morning
Serve Him in the evening
Serve Him when the sun goes down
A Fitting Reply 