One of morning's most redeeming qualities in my opinion is the sunrise. Sometimes in college, I would wake up before the sun, and drive to Lake Overhulser (anyone who lives in Oklahoma City probably knows this wasn't the wisest decision) and would park, wait, and watch. Lake Hefner would have been a better option, given Lake O's distinctive odor and homeless population. However, there was not a great east facing lake overlook at Hefner, at least not one I could successfully navigate to alone. For those 30 minutes, as the sun started to rise, my world stopped, and everything was perfect.
On the way to work last week, the timing was nearly perfect to catch the sunrise each morning. As I would begin my drive I would have a perfect picture right in front of me. Everything inside of me wanted to stop my car, get out, and take a picture. Typical right? However, 7:30 am traffic turns out to not be the best place to pull over to the side of the road, given the overall risk factor and the looming stares one would receive (stares from anyone are in themselves enough to produce a nightmare in my opinion). So, reluctantly, I drove on and made my turn onto the highway.
For a moment I was sad the sunrise was no longer in my view. However, something caught my eye. It was my rearview mirror. The beautiful picture that was once in front of me was now visible in my mirror as I drove away.
As I drove, I started to think there was much less beauty in the direction I was facing. The east was bright and hopeful, but the direction I was driving seemed bleak in comparison. All I had left was a rearview mirror image, which in reality I shouldn't have been staring at instead of the road in front of me.
Nevertheless, this got me thinking. While I absolutely love the beauty held in the eastern sunrise, the west holds something completely different. The sunset appears at a different time but is more than often just as or more beautiful than the sunrise the sky held the morning before.
My view was all in my perspective and in patience. I could look in my rearview mirror and be reminded of the beauty behind me, but continue to look forward knowing what would eventually appear in the direction I was facing.
Often, we do the same thing in life. We experience a moment that takes our breath away, makes us want to stop and take a snapshot, and then we watch it drift away in our rearview. The moment slips into the past, but often we can't stop staring back convinced that there couldn't possibly be anything of equal or greater value ahead of us in the future.
We don't have enough faith and don't believe in the hope that God has promised to lay out in front of us. We hold on to past good, grovel in our present, and assume there is nothing on the road ahead.
Jeremiah 29:11 says "For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and future."
Promises are one of my favorite things in Scripture. This may be one of the most quoted and most overlooked promises in the Bible. Whether you have graduated from kindergarten or from a doctorate program, this was probably inscribed on one (or ten) greeting cards you received (right next to your "Oh the Places You Will Go" sentiments from Dr. Seuss).
We read this verse. We quote it. We use it to encourage others.
But do we really live like we believe it ourselves?
God promises that he has plans for us. Not only does he have a plan. He promises hope for our future. Here God ensures that there is good ahead, not just behind. That doesn't mean we shouldn't count and continue to thank the Lord for our past blessings. However, when these come to our sight in our rearview, we shouldn't stare so long that we forget there is a long stretch of road in front of us, a life to live, and rays of hope promised from the Lord waiting for those who are patient ahead.
I am thankful that God chose to not only give us a sunrise, but also a sunset. There is beauty both in front of and behind us each and every day. We have memories and rearview mirrors to remind us of the blessings we have already received, but we can confidently move forward to the vast future in front of us knowing there are countless sunsets and immeasurable hope to behold on the road ahead.
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