Posts Tagged: sunsets
“Applauding the Sunset”
“Praise the LORD!
Praise, O servants of the LORD,
praise the name of the LORD!
Blessed be the name of the LORD
from this time forth and forevermore!
From the rising of the sun to its setting,
the name of the LORD is to be praised!” (Psalm 113:3, Christian Standard Bible)
One of the nicest parts of being at the beach on the gulf side of Florida is watching the sunsets. And one of the nicest parts of that is watching it with other people. Kids—especially girls—dance in the sand. Couples kiss. Some older couples dance.
But one of the sweetest things is that many people applaud when the sun goes down.
Why not?! We applaud after a wonderful performance at a concert or a play. Every sunset is a wonderful performance.
I don’t know how many of those who applaud the sunset are Christ-followers. But I do know this: To praise the art is not far removed from praising the artist. There is always still hope for those who appreciate beauty. It is when people are no longer able to see the beauty around them that I am most fearful.
I do not believe that an appreciation of nature will save you, but I do believe that such appreciation holds promise. The world’s beauty may only be a portico outside the house of God, but perhaps if you appreciate the portico long enough, you may ask yourself the crucial question, “I wonder who lives here?” Perhaps you may even see that the door is open, and that there the smells of a truly Home-cooked meal are wafting from the kitchen. Perhaps you will gather all your courage, humility, and faith, and go in to meet the Artist.
“Sunsets, Ontology, and What Impresses Young Children”
We had a young couple and their family over for dinner last evening. There were two boys, about six and four, along with a baby girl. The ground was too soggy for the boys to play out in the yard much, so they played games inside. They wanted to see what was upstairs, but mom and dad put the kibosh on that. Just before they left, however, my wife escorted them upstairs for a look around. They were quite impressed.
What impressed them most were the whirlpool (which doesn’t work) and my window on the west. It had been a very grey day, but just as my wife was taking the boys on the tour, the setting sun broke through, and streamed through the red curtain at my window. The boys were quite taken with the sunset through my red curtain!
That may be, in part, because children are into ontology. Don’t be frightened by that word, even if you’re not a philosopher. Ontology simply means “the systematic study of the ‘is-ness’ of things—that is, of their essence or being.
Well, maybe it isn’t that simple after all. If a person is studying essence, perhaps—at that very moment, and by that very action—the person is missing the essence. The boys were not studying the sunset through my red curtain. Rather, they were experiencing that sunset.
Madeleine L’Engle, A Circle of Quiet, observes that ontology is being completely outside oneself, and that small children are perhaps one of the best examples of ontology. “In real play, which is real concentration, the child is not only outside time, he is outside himself. He has thrown himself completely into whatever it is that he is doing.”
I am entirely too self-involved to be into ontology most of the time. However, I think I’m getting a little better. As I write this, an achingly lovely day is dawning. New leaves on the trees are swaying. I hear my wife downstairs, running water in the shower. Lovely sounds.
The word for today is ontology.
DOWN TO EARTH BELIEVER
- “Even a Sliver of Light” April 9, 2024“For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” (2 Corinthians 5:6, English Standard Version) I missed the total eclipse yesterday. There were a number of good reasons for this, but […]
- “The Process in Miracles and the Miracle of Process” March 11, 2024“2 Kings 5:1 Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master and in high favor, because by him the LORD had given victory to Syria. He was a mighty man of valor, but he was a leper. 2 Now the Syrians on one of their raids […]
- “The Power of Encouragement—Even for Old People” March 10, 2024“But encourage each other every day while it is ‘today.’ Help each other so none of you will become hardened because sin has tricked you.” (Hebrews 3:13, New Century Version) Yesterday, I was walking at a nearby park. There was a large group of young people some of whom were running while other young people […]
- “Endurance” March 10, 2024“For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised.” (Hebrews 10:36, English Standard Version) “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us […]
- “The Limits of Non-Judgmentalism” February 24, 2024“Matt. 7:1 “Judge not, that you be not judged. Matt. 7:2 For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.” (Matthew 7:1-2, English Standard Version) This morning, in my virtual 12-step meeting, we discussed the topic of judgmentalism. There were many wise […]
- “Delighting in Being Told What to Do?!?” February 23, 2024“Psa. 112:1 Praise the LORD! Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who greatly delights in his commandments! 2 His offspring will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed. 3 Wealth and riches are in his house, and his righteousness endures […]
- “Character is the Real Lesson” January 19, 2024I am often confused about what lesson I’m really supposed to be learning. For example, this morning I was trying to knock out several Spanish lessons. My intentions were a lot better than my internet connection. I’ve done three lessons. Or rather, I’ve done two lessons. One of them I did twice because the internet […]
- “The Year of Becoming Un-Planked” January 1, 2024Each year, I try to come up with one word or a short phrase for what I intend to work on in the upcoming year. 2024 is “The Year of Becoming Un-Planked”. What?!! What does that even mean? So glad that you asked! Jesus said to his disciples, “Why do you look at the speck […]
- “Searching for the Noble One” December 26, 2023My wife and I were reading Luke, chapter 2 on Christmas Day. Luke 2 talks about the shepherds being told to look for this very special child—in fact, this King—in a stable. I prefer the word “barn”. I grew up on a farm. I know what a barn is. A stable is entirely too biblical […]
- “That Don’t Impress God Much” December 14, 2023DTEB, “That Don’t Impress God Much” “That Don’t Impress Me Much” (Song by Robert John Lange and Shania Twain) Micah 6:8 (MSG) “But he’s already made it plain how to live, what to do, what God is looking for in men and women. It’s quite simple: Do what is fair and just to your neighbor, be […]
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