Diane told me this morning that the sunset last evening was beautiful. As if she were painting, she moved her arms describing the various shades of blue, orange, red, and pink that ended the day. Me? I had just gone to bed, insanely early, I know, the genetics of being the son of a milkman. But I can imagine it. “The golden evening brightens in the west, soon, soon to faithful warriors cometh rest.”
We’re conditioned to think of rest at the end of the day as the reward for our day’s work. The alarm clock goes off, you get up, get dressed, and go to the daily grind. Hours later, you’ve earned relaxation at home, unwind with family, food, rest. We think of the week the same way. The payoff for workdays is the weekend when you can spend time however you want. And the days of our life? Same way of thinking. After all those years of work, you’ve earned retirement.
Here’s a contrarian view. You are not saved by works but by grace. Works follow grace (Ephesians 2:8-10). God’s ancient people considered the evening, not the morning, to be the beginning of the day. Obviously, they didn’t have electricity, light bulbs, streetlights, TVs, iPads, and phones to keep them busy when the sun had set. Maybe I should say to confuse them. They really did slow down, just as our grandparents and great-grandparents did decades ago.
Our Lord wants us to go at life confident in His free, unmerited gifts. He wants you to go to your daily work knowing that you are loved. “The evening and the morning were the first day” (Genesis 1:5). Think of your day beginning in the evening, with rest, recreation, loved ones. Rising to go to work is simply our “Thank You” to the God of all grace. And as we go through the workdays, the workweeks, and all the labors of life, “the golden evening brightens in the west.” “There remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his. Let us therefore strive to enter that rest” (Hebrews 4:9-10).
Have a great Labor Day Weekend!