Small reflections on beauty, wonder, and the quiet ways God’s love can be noticed in ordinary life.

Sunset Gift

Every day, day after day, God ponders. He allows a seed of an idea, dressed in warm, vibrant hues, to lead His thoughts. He gives it a moment of attention, and a dabble of plum joins the oranges and deep pinks. Later, as He goes about His business, a burst of bright whitish-yellow suddenly joins the rest of the palette. He stores it all for later.

He takes all the thoughts of beauty that wove through His mind that day, and finally, when He sits down to create what has been itching to come out, He paints the most beautiful sunset imaginable.

He thinks of those for whom He creates it as their faces cross His mind. He smiles with tenderness and warmth as He puts all His love into it, choosing the perfect mix of colours, shaping a sky no one has ever seen before. One little perfect splash, brushstroke, or golden burst at a time.

Every day, He outdoes what He did the day before. Every day, He sends a new message of love. A new message of beauty. A gift carried into the world by the simple act of the setting sun.

When evening comes, just as the sun is about to begin its descent, God waits with His breathtaking gift, joyful with anticipation.

He waits with love. He waits with expectancy.

Often, people do not notice at all. There is sadness in that. If only they could taste the beauty for one moment.

Some people notice briefly and say, “That’s really pretty,” but then quickly turn back to what they were doing. Not knowing.

Some actually pause and say, “Oh my goodness, that’s beautiful.” They linger. They feel a brief presence, but then return to life almost as quickly as they stopped.

But then there are those ones. The ones who stand still and whisper, “I’ve never seen anything like this.” They are so close. They feel it. They almost know.

And some, just some, look at the sky and feel caught up not only in the beauty before their eyes, but in the emotion, tenderness, and love behind the brilliant colours.

They know this is not random beauty. This is not ordinary light made by random ordinariness. This is the work of God’s great hand. This is magnificent love, painted across the sky in a way only He could give.

They know, without question, that God lovingly paints His love for us and delights in the gift of a simple sunset again and again and again, day after day, sunset after sunset, for all eternity.

And when someone notices with a moment of awe and reverence for the beauty He chose to create that day…

He smiles.