I love sunsets in the Outer Banks until they start coming too soon. By some anachronistic turn of fate, Daylight Savings time comes along to steal our days right out from under us. As we approach the Winter Solstice, daylight becomes a vanishing commodity and pretty soon it is pitch black around 5:00 PM. Do you want to know what my favorite day of the year is? The day after Winter Solstice, around December 21 or 22. That day marks our march toward longer hours of daylight and later sunsets, and I can immediately feel its encouragement and warmth as the sun makes its annual comeback. Like the star that she is, you can’t keep her down for long.

There is an exhaustion that has overcome our country right now. People have lost their affordable care credits and are facing impossible health care costs. We seem to be watching a government that has forgotten its mission to serve the people and are acting outside of every normal parameter, creating confusion, lawlessness, and violence. We awaken to news every day of the unthinkable, and it isn’t letting up. We are walking in darkness. Do you feel that? Are you in distress as well? Take heed. Isaiah, lovely Isaiah, speaks directly into our pitch-dark situation.

Isaiah 9 (Common English Bible)

Nonetheless, those who were in distress won’t be exhausted. At an earlier time, God cursed the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but later he glorified the way of the sea, the far side of the Jordan, and the Galilee of the nations.

² The people walking in darkness have seen a great light.
    On those living in a pitch-dark land, light has dawned.
³ You have made the nation great;
    you have increased its joy.
They rejoiced before you as with joy at the harvest,
    as those who divide plunder rejoice.
⁴ As on the day of Midian, you’ve shattered the yoke that burdened them,
    the staff on their shoulders,
    and the rod of their oppressor.

God can and will help us shatter the yoke of burden and the rod of our oppressors. We live in a pitch-dark land, but light … a great light … will dawn. God can and will make this nation great and increase our joy, but we must do our part.

Give generously.

Serve humbly.

Vote wisely.

Tomorrow’s sunrise is up to us.

Winter Sunset by Stacy Murphy