Evening and Morning

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. ² The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.

³ And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. ⁴ And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness.⁵ God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day. – Genesis 1:1-4

What time is it as you read this? Morning for many. Evening for some. We reckon our days and times in these terms because God has ordered our world in these terms. “Evening and morning, the first day…” All comes ab out because God created light and separated the light from the darkness. He called the light day and the darkness he called night. Evening and morning: it was all his idea. His determination. 

But there are not only evening and morning times. There are also seasons: Springtime, summer, fall, and winter. Each with its own unique characteristic. Some think of their lives in terms these seasons, so that as they age, they speak of entering the autumn of their lives.

Although I’m not thinking of being in the autumn of my life, I am entering a new season of life. I’ve ended my service as a pastor – though I’ve not abandoned my calling to serve Christ. But just as morning is different from evening, one season is different from another. My challenge is to define what that new season will be. 

As much as is possible, I hope not to acquiesce into a long winter of discontent. While I need to power down for a while, there will be days of opportunity that challenge that I will face. During these down times, I hope to rest in anticipation of the new tomorrow that will dawn. 

It is important to remember – in the face of our quest to define our lives and determine our seasons – that our days are all numbered. There is a limit to them. And every breath we take is possible only because the God who created the universe makes it possible. He sets the times and seasons. And it all started that first day. 

And the rhythm of evening and morning may also point to a different way of thinking. The rest of evening makes the opportunities of the morning possible. So I rest, in anticipation of the opportunities of the mornings yet to come. How about you?