Waiting for the Sun – Patience Part 1

On this cloudy Monday morning, I’m thinking about how my week began seven days ago. On that morning, I woke up in a vacation resort at Boyne Mountain, Michigan. It was still dark, and my husband was still sleeping.  We had traveled with his brother, sisters, and in-laws on Sunday to where we would spend three precious days together. I had welcomed the comfortable bed and slept well, and was now looking forward to some quiet time for prayer and reading before the busy day ahead. I slipped out of the bedroom and over to the living room window to pull back the drapery for a peek outside. A solitary star still shone brightly despite the attempts of a few clouds to hide it.  I smiled and praised Creator God for the gift, still planning to turn on a lamp and sit down to read Scripture. But as I looked again, a deep red glow was appearing atop the tree covered hills, directly below my star. I was facing east, where darkness was about to turn to light! The prelude promised a breathtaking show of star, clouds, and sun. And I had a choice to make.

I rarely watch the sun rise. Our home is surrounded by houses, hills, and trees that eliminate a horizon view. Beyond that (and I hate to admit it) sunrises and sunsets have a hard time holding my attention. Oh, I’m quick to grab my camera and snap a picture when God has painted a beautiful scene in the sky, but sitting still and watching something happen with almost imperceptible movement …well, it takes patience.

Would I face the window and wait, or just take a look in a few minutes to check on daybreak’s progress? I chose well.

Can you see the star? I believe it is actually Venus.

As my husband slept and all was quiet, I spent the next forty-five minutes appreciating the dance of the new day. The star would fade, but the sun would rise. As I watched nature’s show, I thought about the patience required to wait in life’s dark situations with hope that the dawn is coming. When we are troubled and days are difficult, darkness seems so strong. We don’t know what the future holds, and the days drag on with imperceptible progress.  Dare we hope that beauty and light are coming?

On another morning, thick clouds hid both the star and the sun.

Life’s snapshots are not the whole story. It takes great patience to walk through trials. Even as a believer in the promise of eternity through Jesus Christ, I’m sometimes stricken with feelings of fear and uncertainty. I’d like to skip to the happy ending. But I do dare to hope, reminding myself of the words of King David when he was surrounded by enemies, “Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord.” (Psalm 31:24)

So glad I got up to see this instead of going back to sleep!

The stunning sunrise made my waiting worthwhile. Of course, even the cloudy days have a sunrise that is just out of sight. I want to be patient even in discouragement, trusting that darkness will  turn to light in God’s timing and way.