At sunset, the people brought to Jesus all who had various kinds of sickness, and laying his hands on each one, he healed them. ~Luke 4:40
We have an apartment complex behind our home. In winter, when the trees are bare, its intrusive presence is a lot more obvious than it is in the spring and summer months. As these trees have grown and matured, their leafy curtains obscure much of the apartment buildings and, to a disappointing degree, the sky as well. Time was when we could view fireworks on July 4th from our back deck, but those days are long gone.
The other perk we miss out on is watching the sunset. We can certainly see the light diminish and fade, but it's rarely an eye-popping scene at any time of the year. However, in early April, we are treated to the show of a lifetime. God's infinite palate of colors spill over the horizon with unrivaled majesty and grandeur.
WOW! God's handiwork leaves us amazed, astonished and overwhelmed with gratitude for the beauty He has lavished upon this little corner of the world we call home. What a glorious ending to a perfect spring day!
And I can't help but wonder.
Was the sunset as breathtaking as the one we witness when people were flocking to Jesus to be healed? And if so, would anyone even notice? After all, Jesus is the center of attention in the moment, and eyes and hopes are focused on Him. He heals, He cures, He drives out demons. What could be more miraculous, more spectacular than that?
Thank you, Lord Jesus!
Amen!
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Bom dia, Martha
ReplyDeleteReflexão muito edificante. Jesus é o nosso lindo Salvador. A Criação de Deus é espetacular, belas fotos. Um forte abraço.
I'm glad that you enjoyed this reflection today, Lucinalva. Yes, Jesus is our beautiful Savior who steals the show every time.
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Yes, I've often wondered what it was like at the time of Jesus. All we have is what we've seen on TV and the cinema to feed our imagination. For example, the washing of the disciples' feet. At the time of Jesus the roads were dusty and dirty with various animal droppings and mud if it rained. People walked bare-feet or with sandals. So, when entering a house it was necessary to wash one's feet. This job was the task of a slave or servant to wash the master's feet, and those of his guests.
ReplyDeleteWhat a gesture from Jesus, offering to wash His disciples' feet.
Other scenes also come to mind; like walking on water and the feeding of the thousands.
Thanx for a great post, Martha. Got me thinking.
God bless.
I love the other examples you have given here, Victor, as we may not, in our modern times, understand the full implications of what Jesus was doing when it came to washing His disciples feet, healing with a simple touch, or feeding the gathered crowds from five loaves and two fish. I don't think any cinematic recreation could rival what those who were with Him actually witnessed. So glad this post got you thinking, Victor.
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Praise Him-Christibe cmlk79.blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteAmen, Christine!
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Yes! Thank you, Jesus! Amen.
ReplyDeleteAmen is right, Terri.
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Thank you, God, for the miracles of healing and of creation.
ReplyDeletePraising the Lord with you, Diana, for all His miracles.
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I don't recall any physical stage setting" in the gospels. A sermon on a hillside, or 40 days in the wilderness, a storm on the sea. No graphic descriptions of sweeping or desolate landscapes. Because they weren't the point. He was.
ReplyDeleteExactly, Glynn! Jesus was and is and always will be the whole point of everything, forever and always.
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Beautiful photos, Martha! But yes, people flocking to Jesus would be an even more beautiful sight! 💕 Thank you for this encouraging message. Yesterday I was reminded of a sunflower, how its head follows the sun. May we keep our focus on Jesus! Love and blessings to you!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Trudy! I'm glad you found this message encouraging today. We should all keep focused upon Jesus, the most beautiful sight we could ever see.
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Boa tarde minha querida irmã Martha. Hoje para mim, é um dia muito especial. Em 1994, fui Batizado com Espírito Santo. Esse 12 de maio, para mim e inesquecível. Pedi ao Senhor Jesus que fosse um presente de aniversário. Meu aniversário ser dia 15 de maio. Uma excelente terça-feira e um grande abraço do seu irmão carioca e brasileiro.
ReplyDeleteNow that's an unforgettable memory, Luiz. Thanks for sharing it here, and Happy Birthday!
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I'm not even sure they would have noticed...their eyes I feel were so focused on Jesus. These photos are so pretty. I think of the beauty that we see here on this earth and can only imagine how beautiful Heaven will be... Happy Tuesday Martha...
ReplyDeleteI'm with you, Shug. As beautiful as this world is, it is only a shadowy reflection of the brilliance that shines in Heaven.
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You know Martha, I really haven't thought too much about that. I don't even know if it was the same compared to where we were and where Jesus was. I think their eyes were upon Jesus. We have that same view as you. We can see it pretty good - we don't have a big forest behind us. Love, Sandie4
ReplyDeleteI agree with that, Sandie! I believe that Jesus was the star of the show, and no one was willing to be distracted by anything else around Him. We should all have that same focus on the Savior.
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Thank you for the exhibition of God's incredible artistry, Martha. I'm never less than amazed with what our Father can do with the strategic placement of some water vapor and light. It's inspirational, too, to see how you and Danny are careful not to take such things for granted and to constantly look for His hand in the world right around you.
ReplyDeleteAs you know, Diane and I were gone for a while and I had opportunities to witness some sunsets in the skies some 5,000 miles away from home. Even though we know that He does His work everywhere, it was reinforcing to once again get to see His handiwork in a place where everything around us was so different and strange. But getting to see Him in the natural world around us wasn't the only blessing. We also got to see His presence at work in the hearts and minds of some of our Christian brothers and sisters for whom those lands are home was overwhelming. We really are a family, Martha. We may not all speak the same language, eat the same kinds of food, or engage in the same kind of work--but we're one in Him. God bless you, my long distance friend, for bringing us into your heart and home for another visit--wish we could do it in person, but glad for the digital alternative.
Seeing our Christian brothers and sisters in different parts of the world must have been such an eye-opening and memorable adventure, Ron. Yes, we may be from different cultures and heritages, but we are all One in the Lord. Things like sunrises and sunsets that are shared all around the globe remind us that we are all inhabitants of the same earth that God created. Perhaps, that should be enough to give us the proper perspective in how we should treat others as we would like to be treated. What a better world this would be if we did!
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Dear Martha, these are absolutely stunning! There is nothing more beautiful and healing than God's creation!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Linda. We thought they were so stunning, too, but there can be nothing more stunning and life-changing than our Lord and Savior, Jesus.
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Jesus, Who IS God, and was WITH God at Creation, created all these things for our enjoyment and also to help us appreciate and worship Him all the more! We may not be able to see Jesus in person right now, but He has left us many beautiful and magnificent reminders of Him and also a preview of things to come, which, in heaven, will be even more amazing than anything we see here on earth. Right now we just get glimpses of His glory...but, oh, what a day that will be, when my Jesus I shall see... Amen. Great post. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteYou have put the whole truth of our world in a nutshell here, Pamela. The Lord who placed His glory in the skies points us only upward and onward to Him and the heaven that awaits us as believers. How can we thank Him enough for the glorious preview He has given us here on earth?
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My comment would be, "Sunset? What sunset?" All I need and want to see is right in front of me." :)
ReplyDeleteAmen, Bill! I don't think, I know, that all eyes were fixated on Jesus as He performed the miracles right in front of those who chose to trust and believe. Just like when seeing a rainbow we recall God's ageless covenant, God still invites us to look upward toward Him, not inward to our anxious selves.
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Those photos are beautiful! The heavens declare...
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for sharing these with all of us. God bless you, Martha!
Yes, Deb, the glories of God! Even the heavens display His majesty and we felt so privileged to witness this amazing and rare sight in our own neighborhood. Unrivaled beauty!
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Once we know Jesus as Lord and God as Heavenly Father, the view of a spectacular sunset (and everything else in creation!) takes on grander delight. We know the Maker and Sustainer of ALL things! How amazing is that?!
ReplyDeleteOh, yes, Nancy, the two go hand-in-hand! When we choose God above all else, He reveals things to our hearts and minds that we could have never imagined possible. It is beyond amazing!
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Even through all the trees, it is stunning! I can't see the sunset from here, either. We have to go out and drive a few blocks to a nearby hill.
ReplyDeleteWe would have to do the same here, Ginny, if we wanted to see a sunset on a daily basis. We are in a very hilly area, not far from Kennesaw Mountain and the National Battlefield, but our home is in somewhat of a valley. I do love seeing the sunset photos you share on your beautiful blog, and I thought of you when I managed to capture these photos with my phone camera.
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As Victor mentioned, no man-made cinematography could begin to rival what God has created. I do love the idea of nearing Christ, as this explosion of colors creates a backdrop like no other. I don't doubt, the all of earth will tremble under our feet.
ReplyDeleteI loved Victor's observation, too, Myra. Nothing in this world can compete with the grandeur of Jesus choosing to be one of us to save all of us. I love that you described this entire display as a backdrop to the passion of His incomparable life. I can't even begin to imagine how boldly and brightly these colors will shine in Heaven.
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Oh, to have had the precious opportunity of being there with Him at sunset! Can you imagine? I would have walked whatever distance was necessary to meet Him! I wonder if those people had any idea how abundantly blessed they were.
ReplyDeleteI've always wondered that, too, Cheryl. Did they know who Jesus truly was? I imagine that those who were healed at that time would have spoken of their experiences over and over to anyone who would listen. After all, they had experienced a miracle in their lives.
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Wow! Those are great photos! Such rich and deepening colors! And your words are spot on—when Jesus is present all eyes on Him
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Pam! Yes, I would want to focus on Jesus above everything else. He is the star of the show.
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If we had a chance to see Jesus live, sunsets wouldn't even cross our minds or noticed by our eyes. We would be focused on him and only him.
ReplyDeleteThat is precisely right, Bill! How could we focus on anything else when the best is there in front of us?
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Wow! The sunset is beautiful! I've loved the skyline since a little girl. My mom recounts how I would say, "Look at the boot-t-full sky." God's handiwork is seen in all of creation, but especially in the sky. God bless.
ReplyDeleteI love that your mom recounts how you would say that sweet phrase as a child, Karen. It is boot-t-full, indeed! And won't it be the grandest sight when we witness our Lord coming again in all His glory and majesty.
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The photos are stunning, but yes-- the sight of people gathering around Jesus, receiving His healing and hope, would be even more breathtaking.
ReplyDeleteThank you for reminding us that His presence outshines even the most glorious sunset. 🙏✨
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His presence does and always will, Veronica, focus our attention on what that ultimately matters. Jesus is our shining light now and forever.
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Oh my goodness, those colors. Fantastic! His majesty at display.
ReplyDeleteOh, yes, Marja, the colors are beyond description, aren't they? God's majesty is everywhere if only we open our eyes and hearts to see.
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Boa tarde irmã Martha. Meu aniversário é amanhã 15 de maio. Obrigado pela visita e comentário. Grande abraço do seu irmão brasileiro e carioca da cidade do Rio de Janeiro.
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday, Luiz!
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Sunsets are such a gift. To the west we get some beautiful sunsets that leave a mountainous silhouette of color. We can't see it inside our home, we have to stand in the street. Most of the time we're already in our jammies! Lol. Except in the winter months!
ReplyDeleteI'm thinking those who had the sight to see, saw His light and perhaps didn't notice the sunset. Then again, a sunrise and sunset are reflections of Gods glory. Regardless, it would be a moment that would thrill.
I agree, Debby, that sunsets and sunrises are such wonderful gifts from God and most definitely reflections of His great glory. I love how you've described the sunsets you are able to see from your neighborhood, too. Somehow, my take is that all eyes were on Jesus in that moment described in this passage from Luke; everything else took second stage.
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wow just beautiful! and think how often we rush through life and don't pause to savor God's creation!!
ReplyDeleteI know, Jean! What a shame it is to be too busy or preoccupied to notice and stand in awe of God's amazing creation.
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Thank You God!
ReplyDeleteAmen to that, Cloudia!
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I'm reminded of this old poem:
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The king went down in the glorious west,
He had brightened the world with his shining;
From his chariot of gold he lowered his crest
To the queen of the night, now resigning.
Then the pale-faced beauty ascending the throne,
Reigned peacefully over the darkness,
For she borrowed her ray from the absent one,
And shone faithfully on as his witness.
II
The King went down on the shameful tree
He had brightened the world with His shining,
'Mid suffering and blood, the Victor was He,
To His people the light now resigning.
If Christians His faithful witness would be,
And shine like the moon in this night-time,
They must keep close to Him, His bright glory see,
And live in the heavenly sunshine.
Joseph Pellatt (1843-1913)
Thank you, David, for sharing this poem with its wise words with everyone here. I had never heard it before, so I've been enlightened by your sharing of it. May we all live in the heavenly sunshine after the sacrifice of His sunset.
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What a beautiful reflection, Martha. Your description of those early‑April sunsets felt so vivid — I could almost see the colors spilling across the sky. I love how you tied that moment of beauty back to Jesus’ healing touch and the awe people must have felt in His presence. Your words always point so gently and clearly to God’s goodness. Thank you for this reminder to look for His miracles, both quiet and grand.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for your kind and thoughtful words here, Carrie. My hope and prayer is that my words will point others toward God's goodness and mercy, and draw them ever closer to Him. If I've done that for you, then "mission accomplished."
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Spectacular sky. Love the morning/evening displays of color.
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Oh, Jim, we did, too, as where our home is situated doesn't usually give us a vantage point of gorgeous sunsets. God's glory is all around us when we take the time to observe.
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