[CrimsonTide4]

A WORD WITH YOU
By Ron Hutchcraft
#4367 - "Never a Sunset Without a Sunrise"
Jeremiah 31:3-4

The sun never sets without it rising again. That's not just
meteorology. It's theology. It's a spiritual fact of life, and an emotional fact, that it's real
easy to forget when it's been dark for a while. But the sunrise principle is the basis
for hope when things around you seem hopeless. Key word: "seem."

In fact, God has a hope-filled promise for us today in our word for today from the Word
of God in Jeremiah 31:3-4. He says, "I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have
drawn you with loving-kindness. I will build you again and you will be rebuilt ... again
you will take up your tambourines and go out and dance with the joyful." God's people had
been plundered, relocated, wounded, with most of what they cared about destroyed. They
hadn't seen the sun for a long time. But God says, "It's not over, kids. The sun's going to
come up again, no matter how dark it looks. Yes, things are in ruins - but I am going to
build you again - and when I get to restoring what you've lost, you will be rebuilt!"

That may well be what He's trying to say to you right now. Yes, the sun went down, and
it's been a long night. But it's not a permanent night - there's no such thing! There's no
such thing as a sunset without a sunrise. And God promises one! He's the great Restorer,
who promises in Joel 2:25: "I will restore to you the years that the locusts have eaten"
(KJV). Yes, that relationship has ended. Yes, you are financially broke. Yes, there has
been a major setback or failure or loss. But it isn't the whole book, my friend - this is
a chapter in the book. And the author has much more to write.

My friend, Audrey, has pretty much defined her past year by unresolved grief over the
death of her closest friend. But last week we walked through Isaiah 61, which promises the
Lord will "bind up the brokenhearted, and proclaim ... release from darkness for the
prisoners ... He bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness
instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair." And with a
cleansing flood of tears, she let it all go and traded her despair for praise, her ashes for
beauty, and the sun has come up again.

It won't always be like this - unless you decide to make it always be like this. My
prayer for you is Paul's prayer for his friend in Romans 15:13 - "May the God of hope fill
you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the
power of the Holy Spirit." He's going to rebuild you, and you will be rebuilt! You will
dance again! There's no denying that your sun went down and it got dark. But, remember,
there's never a sunset without a sunrise!