Sunrises are something that many of us simply take for granted as we go about our daily tasks. This morning, as a part of my morning routine, I happened to look out the front door about the time the sun was rising above the rooftops in my neighborhood. Within that moment, I was taken in by the deep hues of color, the splashes of golden sunlight, and the contrast of the dark and empty tree trunks stretching to catch the sun’s light and warmth. I pulled out my phone and took the picture to the left to capture the beauty and majesty of the moment. It began to remind me of God’s mercy and grace and how the Bible tells us, This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness (Lamentations 3:21-23).
Sunrise – Each new day is a gift
One of the repeated teachings of both the Old and New Testaments is that there is no promise for tomorrow. Even Jesus used a parable to teach this very thing: And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? (Luke 12:15-20). This man thought he had tomorrow and even made great plans for his future. This man didn’t know that he only had today and that today was his last day. Even the apostle James wrote on this very concept: Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away (James 4:13-14).
It is not that these verses are discouraging us from planning for our future; the apostle Paul wrote, But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel (1 Timothy 5:8) and the Old Testament teaches A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children’s children: and the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just (Proverbs 13:22). However, what the Lord is discouraging us from doing is investing so much of our time planning for tomorrow that we forget about what we have today. We all know people who were in pursuit of their future that they really missed out on the blessings that God had given them; this is not just something that the lost deals with, but something that affects Christians as well. In fact, this very topic is exposed even in both Christian and secular music; Casting Crowns, a popular contemporary Christian group sings about this in their song, American Dream. A secular and very popular song in the mid 1970s, Cat’s in the Cradle by Harry Chapin, focuses how our children will adopt our attitudes towards family, work, and their future. Both songs focus on the reality that there have been scores of people who have lost the most precious gift – today – trying to live for tomorrow.
Each sunrise is a new beginning
I know I already shared this verse above, but I believe it is worth repeating: This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness (Lamentations 3:21-23). It doesn’t matter how bad yesterday was; today is a new day. Yesterday can’t be helped or changed. Each morning we are given a new opportunity and God gives us new mercies and blessings. If you’re lost, never trusted the Lord as your personal savior, He has given you this day to come to Him and to accept the gift of eternal life He offers. If you’re one of His, today is another opportunity to serve Him in love. It is also another opportunity to focus on the things that matters, such as our family and friends. No matter what happened yesterday, today does not have to follow in the footsteps of yesterday’s sins, heartaches, disappointments, and hurts. Even the scriptures about the return, Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh (Matthew 24:40-44) teach that His coming could happen at any moment. This is another clear sign that we are to live each day – each moment – as it could be our last.
