Recently my daughter Grace and I were finishing a long day of unpacking boxes and tidying up in our new home. Having already completed most of the more exciting tasks, we had moved on to organizing the storage areas in our basement. Not the most glamorous or fun part of moving, but we both enjoy order enough to find this job more pleasant than most people might. Bottom line, though—we had been in a closet in our basement for much of the day. So when I walked upstairs and caught a sliver of pink through our west-facing windows, it felt a lot like the second act of The Wizard of Oz. From dull gray to vibrant Technicolor in just moments. My reaction went something like this:

Me: Grace, come see this! I think we have to chase it! Look how much color is already in the sky, and with those kinds of clouds, the sunset should be amazing!

Grace: You can chase it. I’m good watching from here.

Me: But Grace! All of those houses are in the way! You can only see just the tiniest bit from here. Let’s go look for a better view.

Grace: It’s ok, Mom. You can go. I know that’s your thing. It’s fine. I’ll just stay here and read and watch from the window.

Me: But Grace!

Grace (giggling): Really, Mom. Go. I promise I’m fine just staying here.

Me: Ok, but I feel bad for you and what you’re about to miss. I’m going, because I wanna see the rest of it.

And then I left to chase the sunset. And it was magnificent. Brilliant. Gorgeous. Soul-stirring.

And when I got home, this thought occurred to me—

Oh, that I might treat the glory of God like a sunset! That I might crave its brilliance and long for its majestic beauty! That I might make every effort to move closer and closer to it, leaving behind every hindrance between us. That I might set aside every other task before me to chase after it, to bask in it and soak it in, to study every nuance and gaze past every distraction into its radiance. That I might long with all of my heart for others to experience it with me. And that I might carry in the very depths of my soul this constant desire:  I wanna see the rest of it…

…and take every opportunity to do just that.