The beauty of creation never ceases to captivate me.  Although I’m fortunate to see many beautiful sunrises and sunsets, I continue to cherish them.  Each one is beautiful and none are quite the same.  They look like love letters from the Creator to me.

Last night’s sunset was classic.  It was the one people try to recreate in drawings and paintings.  I had intended to get the mail, but instead stood transfixed, looking at the sky, displayed in bright orange and coral with a deep blue backdrop.  Turning around, I couldn’t take my eyes off of the beautiful rays reaching as high and wide as I could see and converging at a single point on the horizon.*  WOW!!!  Although we’ve tried for centuries to duplicate God’s artistry in paintings, there’s nothing quite like the great sky and whole earth God splashes colors onto.

I marveled at how far reaching the sun rays are.  Earth has just one sun, but it is enough– warming and coloring the entire surface.  The sun was down just below the horizon but the rays filled the sky and bright, beautiful colors surrounded me. The warmth from the direct sunlight was fading, but there was enough warmth to keep us comfortable until morning when the sun would surely rise again, bringing more light, warmth, beauty, and joy.

Standing there, watching and feeling the far-reaching effects of the sun’s rays, I thought: God’s love is like that.  God’s love has far-reaching effects and touches more lives than we can imagine.  It warms us, wraps around us, and brings us joy.  How about our love?  Do we let our light shine, bringing love and light to those around us?  Can we see the effects of it?  Does it bring others warmth, comfort, joy?  Read John 8:12 and Matthew 5:15-16 (did I mention Matthew 5 is packed full of good stuff?), and remember: God loves YOU unconditionally!

Annie

*  I was a little confused about how the sun rays could show in the east at sunset, so I googled it and discovered a fancy term called, “anticrepuscular rays,” meaning when the sun’s rays show exactly opposite where the sun really is.  I didn’t take a picture, but there are plenty on google images. Here’s my personal favorite: 

(http://discovered-light.co.uk/wp-content/gallery/Bolivian-Altiplano/Bolivia_BELL0717_5D3s.jpg)

Today’s readings: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+8:12

and

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+5%3A14-16&version=NRSV