EVENING

When the sun arises, they gather together and lie down in their dens. Man goes out to his work and to his labor until the EVENING – Psalm 104:22-23

The Bible often portrays the Morning in vivid contrast with the EVENING. While morning tells of the beginning of activities, evening speaks of their cessation: In the morning it flourishes and grows up; in the EVENING it is cut down and withers (Psa.90:6). But, must evening always be a time to cut down and wither? I think not! Psalm 104:22-23 says, “.” The wise man also said: “In the morning sow your seed, and in the evening do not withhold your hand; for you do not know which will prosper, either this or that, or whether both alike will be good” (Eccl.11:6). This implies that although morning is the most appropriate time to sow or plant seeds, it is never too late in the day to sow good seeds! The disparity between morning and evening forms a fitting depiction of the brevity of life in contrast to God’s eternal existence (Psa.90:3-6).

Like an hourglass with a certain quantity of grains, God has appointed each life to last a certain number of days, and we have absolutely no idea how many there are! We each have no idea when our lives will end. No one knows how much time he or she has left? But the evening of life is not necessarily about old age, for people do die at any age! However, the longer we have spent on earth, the closer we are to life’s end. Ponder on this: “how much time do I have left to make up for wasted time, and to store up treasure in Heaven instead of on earth?” Each of us must come to the evening of life and face eternity. Each of us must encounter that quiet, awful time, appear before the Lord of the vineyard, and answer for the deeds done in the body, whether they be good or bad: “So then each of us shall give account of himself to God” (Rom.14:12).

Beloved, the Lord Jesus Christ is the ready and faithful Guide whatever the time of day: “It is good…to declare Your lovingkindness in the morning, and Your faithfulness every night” (Psa.92:1-2). Even if you are already in the evening of life; keep up hope. Charles Spurgeon wrote: “In some realms of nature, shadows or darkness are the places of greatest growth. The beautiful Indian corn never grows more rapidly than in the darkness of a warm summer night…The starry beauty of the sky cannot be seen at its peak until the shadows of night slip over the sky… And there are beautiful flowers that bloom in the shade that will never bloom in the sun. Florists now have their evening primrose as well as their morning glory. The evening primrose will only open in the noonday sun but only reveals its beauty as the shadows of the evening grow larger.” Your times are in God’s hands. Some hearts, like evening primroses, open more beautifully in the shadows of night!

The evening of life can be the best of life! Eliphaz the Temanite said to Job: “You shall come to the grave at a full age, as a sheaf of grain ripens in its season” (Job 5:26). Another version says, “You will come to the grave in full vigor, like sheaves gathered in season”! Evening time need not be withering time; but ripening time! So, sing in the morning, at noon, and in the evening. The robins sing in the evening when they have finished their daily work. Once they have flown their last flight of the day and gathered the last bit of food, they find a treetop from which to sing a song of praise. Don’t let the song go out of your life. Keep singing – morning, noon, evening or midnight. Whatever the time or season of life, simply cast your destiny into the Hands of the Perfect Potter, and He’ll help you may make the most of time and life!