Recognizing God's Holiness in an Eclipse?

I know you think it's weird that I am constantly telling crazy stories about life's lessons through strange and wonderful happenings in my backyard. Last summer, it involved a crow. This week, it was in the stars.

Last Wednesday (2-20-08), if you took some time to observe the moon between 5pm and 8pm, you would have witnessed a full lunar eclipse where, the alignment of the Sun, Earth and Moon made it so the moon was engulfed in a full shadow cast upon the earth. Because I function from a creative side of my brain most of the time, you can go read up on the scientific facts of it here.

As I witnessed this rare phenomenon I was simply awed by the process. From where we were perched on the hill the moon looked relatively small, and the earth felt so big. And then I realized that it was the SUN that was behind us that was doing all the work. And how incredibly huge the sun actually has to be in order to bend it's rays around us (earth) and reflect off the moon-- a planet so far away from us in the universe.

The next day I had the opportunity to reflect on this phenomenon as I came face to face with the reality of what sin does in our lives. Although that shadow was powerful enough to block the light of the moon, it didn't mean that the light was gone, or replaced. In fact, with all eclipses, the earth continues to turn, and the planets revolve and in time the shadows pass away.

By 9pm on Wednesday night, we looked up into the clear sky where the moon was full and bright again. Unblemished. The way it started. The same thing happens with a solar eclipse, except it's the kind of phenomenon we can't witness without protective eye ware because of the incredible power of the sun's rays (and how appropriately so if you see where I am going with this).

So without being too cheesy in my application here, I was reminded again of God's Holiness. His sovereignty. His goodness. His light. A light so incredibly huge and powerful, that even the earth's shadow could not make it's reflection disappear completely. A light so big, that even when another planet is in the path of it directly, it's rays shine so brightly around it that we could go blind if we looked directly upon it.

As Christians, we are called to represent that light. To bear it. Last week, my small group discussed just that as we continue in our study of Philippians. But the shadows will always come as long as there is sin in the world. As much as that shadow may try to consume or hide that light in us, I was reminded this week that Christ Himself bore the weight of those sins SO THAT His light would never be completely extinguished in His children. Even when the shadow of sin seems to have swallowed us whole, His Light is too powerful, too wonderful to ever be conquered.

How merciful, gracious and loving our Father, our Light, our Holy God Almighty is to us! We are mere shadows in the presence of His Holiness, but His light will always prevail. And shine THROUGH us so that we too, can be a reflection of His Holiness.

It's time to recognize the weight of that calling. It's also time to accept His forgiveness, and bask in the unblemished restoration that His light in us every single new day.

It won't be easy. But it's necessary. Because He is Holy.

Psalm 51

1 Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion
blot out my transgressions.

2 Wash away all my iniquity
and cleanse me from my sin.

3 For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is always before me.

4 Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you are proved right when you speak
and justified when you judge.

5 Surely I was sinful at birth,
sinful from the time my mother conceived me.

6 Surely you desire truth in the inner parts;
you teach me wisdom in the inmost place.

7 Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

8 Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones you have crushed rejoice.

9 Hide your face from my sins
and blot out all my iniquity.

10 Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

11 Do not cast me from your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me.

12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
and sinners will turn back to you.

14 Save me from bloodguilt, O God,
the God who saves me,
and my tongue will sing of your righteousness.

15 O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth will declare your praise.

16 You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it;
you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.

17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart,
O God, you will not despise.

18 In your good pleasure make Zion prosper;
build up the walls of Jerusalem.

19 Then there will be righteous sacrifices,
whole burnt offerings to delight you;
then bulls will be offered on your altar.