What's Blocking the SON in Your Life?
Youth Pastor, Chet Skatington, had this to say about the monumental Solar Eclipse of 4/8/24:
We're entering a season of total solar eclipse — a time when the moon gets in the way of the sun and blocks its warm, healing rays from hitting the Earth. During this short celestial event, we will get a small taste of what life would be like if the Sun didn't exist.
It would be dark. Just like Findlay Ohio during the moment of eclipse totality.
He continues:
But have you ever thought about what life would be like if the SON didn't exist?
I daresay it would be even darker.
We may not see the Sun being blocked by the moon very often, but how many times do we allow sin to block the healing warmth of the SON from our hearts?
He concluded:
... [F]or many of us, our hearts have been living under a total eclipse for far too long. A spiritual total eclipse. Of the heart. Too often, we allow sins like lust, drugs, or skipping out on our [bible studies/fellowship times] to block the influence of the Son of God. That's wrong, fam.
During this year's eclipse, let us reflect on the things in our lives that are blocking out the Son. Let us remove those sins that so easily beset us and allow his warmth to shine on our hearts once again. ...
“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:15, ESV).
"The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it" (John 1:5, ESV).
"For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (Ephesians 5:8).
Reflecting the Light - It All Comes Down to Proximity
The Moon does not make its own light. Moonlight is actually reflected sunlight. We always see the same face of the Moon from Earth - the “lunar nearside.” Each month, as day and night sweep across the lunar nearside, the sunlit part of our view takes on a series of familiar shapes: crescent, half-moon, full, and more.
According to NASA:
Overall, only about one-tenth of the sunlight that hits the Moon is reflected back into space. This ration of reflected light is called albedo. For comparison, our watery planet bounces about three-tenths of incoming rays back into space. Venus has an even higher albedo than Earth, reflecting half of the sunlight that reaches it. Yet, the Moon outshines Venus in our sky.
Why? It is all comes down to proximity. The Moon is far closer to us than Venus so the Moonlight - the reflection of the Sun’s light - appears brilliant to us.
John the Witness, via his devotion to Jesus, was able to show the way to the Light because of his proximity both to the Light and to those to whom he witnessed. Our proximity to the Light and others affords us the same opportunity to likewise direct others to Light of Jesus.
Jesus is the Light (uppercase "L"). Jesus' disciples (us!) are the light (lowercase "l") called to reflect the Son. As we draw closer to Him, and then and draw closer to those to whom we would share that Light, we are able to do just that. His Light will shine brilliantly to all those who are in darkness.
It all comes down to proximity.
"He [John] was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light" (John 1:8).
Shining In Full Strength
The peaks of the Andes Mountains can be shrouded in cloud cover for days or weeks at a time. Without sunlight, tempatures can be quite chilly and raw. Yet one need only take a drive up into mountains to reach the point of breaking through the clouds. And all of the sudden, the sun is shining in full strength. It is a breathtaking, awe inspiriting, and joyful experience.
“So may all your enemies perish, LORD! But may all who love you be like the sun when it rises in its strength.” Then the land had peace forty years. - Judges 5:31, NIV
The "clouds" of life -- our trials, daily challenges, etc. -- often obscure our vision of the light and warmth of the Son. We cannot reflect His light, and warmth if we have not first received and basked in it. Pushing onward and upward through the trials and challenges of life, we can break through clouds and bask in the light and warmth of His love and grace. Then, and only then, can we reflect it.
As a prophet and judge, Deborah led a weak army of ten thousand men into battle, but God gave her the victory. She had put her trust in God and obeyed His directions, and she used light, a common biblical metaphor, to describe the experience.
The above verse is the last sentence of Deborah's song of victory. As Deborah said, “... let those who love Him be like the sun when it comes out in full strength!”
Trust God in the trials. Push through the clouds. Reflect the light of His love and grace!