I love to watch the sun rise and set. In fact, I consider it a wonderful thing when I get to see both in one day. Almost every morning, before I embark on my prayer walk, I get to sit out on the rocking chair on my porch (which faces due east) and watch the sunrise while I sip my decalf coffee. Most days—and I’m just being honest here—I feel like standing up and clapping upon the conclusion of the event. Watching the sunset can be equally inspiring, though…especially when I’m somewhere out in western NC and can watch the sun dip behind the mountains. There's really nothing like it, you know?
Of the two…what is most inspiring to you?
For me (even though I LOVE both), it’s the sunrise.
Why?
Probably because of the fresh start and opportunities I believe the sunrise brings with it. Right now, I consider myself a part of what I would like to, herein, call “the rising sun world.” (And that's in direct contrast to what I would like to, again herein, call the “setting sun world.”)
Are you a part of the rising sun world? Or do you, in some ways, feel like your life is in the beginning stages of a sunset? I would like to argue that all of us experience both conditions at various times throughout life. Sometimes, even, we can experience both at the same time: while one journey is coming to an end, another is beginning. Most of the time, though, our journeys do mirror what happens in the physical relm, in that, there are periods of relative darkness that do occur during those in-between times.
The number 40...
And it rained 40 days and 40 nights after Noah and all his family got into the ark...
And so Moses stayed on the mountain with God for 40 days...
And so the children of Israel wandered in the dessert for 40 years...
And so for 40 days, twice a day, morning and evening, the Philistine giant (Goliath) strutted in front of the Israelite army...
And Jesus went into the desert for 40 days to be tempted by the devil...
The number 40 in the Bible is, I believe, a very significant number in terms of the journeys we take. As I wrote above, Fiddler was released 40 years ago. About three weeks ago, my dearest friend on earth turned 40 (See?? I told you 1971 was a VERY good year!). Anyway, I lay out the above as a preamble to some of what I’d like to write about over the next few days.
Are you a part of the rising sun world? Or do you, in some ways, feel like your life is in the beginning stages of a sunset? I would like to argue that all of us experience both conditions at various times throughout life. Sometimes, even, we can experience both at the same time: while one journey is coming to an end, another is beginning. Most of the time, though, our journeys do mirror what happens in the physical relm, in that, there are periods of relative darkness that do occur during those in-between times.
The number 40...
And it rained 40 days and 40 nights after Noah and all his family got into the ark...
And so Moses stayed on the mountain with God for 40 days...
And so the children of Israel wandered in the dessert for 40 years...
And so for 40 days, twice a day, morning and evening, the Philistine giant (Goliath) strutted in front of the Israelite army...
And Jesus went into the desert for 40 days to be tempted by the devil...
The number 40 in the Bible is, I believe, a very significant number in terms of the journeys we take. As I wrote above, Fiddler was released 40 years ago. About three weeks ago, my dearest friend on earth turned 40 (See?? I told you 1971 was a VERY good year!). Anyway, I lay out the above as a preamble to some of what I’d like to write about over the next few days.
So...if you're at all interested in such things, tune in, and, of course, let me know what you think the next time you see me.
May God bless all’y’all on what has turned out to be a perfectly delightful evening following the sunset here in central NC.
Peace….
Dave
“Sunrise, Sunset,” from Fiddler on the Roof
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