The Sunet and Love

Two things that I love to do are watching the sun rise and watching it set. I am often speechless and often I am overwhelmed with feelings that no word can express. One of the greater joys in life for me is sitting in silence with my lovely bride and letting the sun tell in part the story of our Creator as it hides for the night. I will let Saint Bernard of Clairvaux verbalize for me what my feeble mind could never do, "At first, man loves himself for his own sake. That is the flesh, which can appreciate nothing beyond itself. Next, he perceives that he cannot exist by himself, and so begins by faith to seek after God, and love Him as something necessary to his own welfare. That is the second degree, to love God, not for God's sake, but selfishly. But when he has learned to worship God and to seek Him aright, Meditating on God, reading God's Word, praying and obeying His commandments, he comes gradually to know who God is, and finds Him altogether lovely. So, having tasted and seen how gracious the Lord is, he advances to the third degree, when he loves God, not merely as his benefactor but as God. Surely this is the longest state for the one who is growing in God......."