Beyond the Sunset

In our Life Group, which is what we call our mid-week Bible Study, each person is given a turn to lead the others in a short devotional and prayer before the study begins. My topic was taken from the hymn, “Beyond the Sunset,” which I arranged for Volume 14 of The Church Piper. The music and its words are beautiful. I was impressed by how the author used his knowledge of Scripture to write poetry.

The beauty of the sky reminded Virgil Brock of Heaven. He reminisced that when our work is ended and day is done, we’ll go to Heaven and be with our Saviour. It will be a day of gladness and eternal joy, free from fears and worries. Christ will guide us to the Father we adore, to be welcomed.

The last verse is dear to us in that we have the eternal hope of being reunited with our loved ones.

Beyond the Sunset, O glad reunion,
With our dear loved ones who’ve gone before,
In that fair homeland we’ll know no parting,
Beyond the sunset forevermore.

Peter wrote of our thankfulness to Christ our Saviour, saying, “An entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.” 2 Peter 1:11

We who live in White Rock or South Surrey British Columbia, often walk along the waterfront as the sun is receding beneath the clouds. It is a spectacular sight and we easily imagine that wonderful place we call Heaven, lying just beyond the sinking sun.

At this point in the devotional, I will play several verses of the hymn on my practice chanter while the others read the verses they have been given.

An anonymous author composed a poem with words that fit the theme of Heaven very nicely. It is entitled, “Should You Go First.”

Should you go first and I remain, to walk the road alone,
I’ll live in memory’s garden dear, with happy days we’ve known.
In spring I’ll watch for roses red, and face the lilacs blue
And in early fall when brown leaves fall, I’ll catch a glimpse of you.


Should you go first and I remain, to finish with the scroll,
No lengthening shadows shall creep in to make this life seem droll.
We’ve know so much of happiness, we’ve had our cup of joy
And memory is one gift of God, that death cannot destroy.


Should you go first and I remain, one thing I’d have you do
Is walk slowly down that long lone path, for soon I’ll follow you.
I’ll want to know each step you take, that I may walk the same,
For someday down that lonely road, you’ll hear me call,
Yes, you’ll hear me call your name.


This beautiful poem reminded me of the pathway to Heaven that Jesus described in Matthew 7:13 and 14. He advised His listeners to “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”

In John 14:6, Jesus referred to Himself as the gate to Heaven and said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” By this, He meant that to follow Him is the only way to Heaven. Comparatively few will understand this, but believe instead, that there are many ways to Heaven, such as keeping all the commandments and by leading a good life by helping others. Jesus compares this to a broad road that many follow, hoping it will lead to Heaven, but instead, that road leads to their destruction. In other words, it leads to Hell and not to Heaven. We know, like the person in the poem, that nothing enters Heaven by which it may be defiled and that Jesus paid the supreme sacrifice for our sake. Revelation 21:27 tells us, “Nothing impure will ever enter it (Heaven), nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.” That Lamb is Jesus. “Jesus Paid it All.”

In the hymn, “Beyond the Sunset,” the person promises to walk slowly down that long lone path. That path is the one Jesus described. We are simply to have faith that we are forgiven of all sinfulness that would prevent us from defiling Heaven. Having been justified by His grace, we have the hope of eternal life.” Titus 3:7

With faith in Jesus, we will meet those dear ones who have gone before, and most likely find them waiting to welcome us home. By taking that same pathway, we will be certain to meet our loved ones who trusted Jesus and went before.