Sunsets and Endings

 

So the wall was finished on the twenty-fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty-two days. And when all our enemies heard of it, all the nations around us were afraid and fell greatly in their own esteem, for they perceived that this work had been accomplished with the help of our God. (Nehemiah 6:15–16 ESV).

 

Several years ago, while driving through Cade’s Cove Loop in the Smoky Mountains, Mary and I stopped to watch the sunset before exiting. We had spent the afternoon riding the loop, looking at the cabins and churches, walking a bit on some easy trails, and enjoying seeing all the wildlife. The picture I’ve attached is looking over a field where we had already seen several deer cross and I thought “what a great way to end the day!” Sunsets are God’s way of reminding us that a part of our journey is ending. Whether the day was filled with simple tasks and projects or hard experiences and circumstances, it has come to an end.

 

It’s a great feeling to finish a long and difficult project. Imagine how it felt for Nehemiah and the Jews to have completed their building project. They had worked under threats of attack and delays, under a cloud of tension day and night. Finally, after fifty-two days of nearly constant work, the wall of Jerusalem was finished. However, they knew their journey was not finished. Tensions with their enemies continued.

 

Nehemiah knew that opposition would not stop just because the work was finished. When the final touches around the doors and gates were complete, Israel’s enemies “were afraid and lost their self-confidence, because they realized that this work had been done with the help of [Israel’s] God.” As a result, threats from their enemies kept coming. The people had to remember why they began the rebuilding in the first place—God had called them to be his people and to be a light for the other nations. Their enemies could not defeat God, but they would surely keep trying.

 

We should let every sunset remind us of this great truth: while the day may be ending, we have not finished. God has called you and will always be with you. Even if people are not celebrating God’s work in your life, you have a Savior who is always for you, not against you. You can trust him!