Total Eclipse

Happy Eclipse Day!

Today was fun with America experiencing the eclipse of the sun by the moon.  For a 70-mile wide swath cut across the US, there was a total eclipse. A lot of people I spoke to were excited by the event and made sure to get outside while it was passing through their region. When I went out, there was an eerie darkening (but not darkness) that enveloped the area, kind of like when a big thunderstorm is approaching. As we all know, during a solar eclipse, the moon takes an unusual position relative to the Earth and sun, effectively blocking out the sun’s light. It is amazing that such a small orb, with no natural light of its own, can block out the immense energy and light of the powerful star that makes our mere existence possible.  Without working the metaphor too hard, let’s see how Man can get into a position relative to the Son and block His light from reaching others.

Matthew 5:16

In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

Things to think about:

·       Jesus says that we are to let our light so shine before others that God is glorified

o   What is the source of our light?

§  Our innate goodness?  Good deeds? Something else?

§  2 Corinthians 4:6 - For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.

o   Why does the light of our good deeds attract others to God?

§  Did someone shed light in your life through his or her good deeds that made God attractive to you?

§  Why isn’t the power of our words enough to persuade others?

·      As we noted, it is the orbit of the Moon relative to the Sun that creates the darkness.

o   How do the orbits of Man block the light of the Son?

§  Busyness

§  Worry

§  Pride

§  Lust

§  Greed

§  Indifference

§  Blindness

§  Selfishness

§  Laziness

§  Anger

§  Ambition

o   Which of these orbits do you have a natural gravity to drift into? Are there others you can think of?

o   If you have experienced some measure of victory in one of these orbits, what advice would you give a brother operating in darkness?

·      Only you and God may see some of the spiritual eclipses. Man looks on the outside but God sees the heart.

o   Others are maybe obvious to others and we are in the dark (wives and kids are good for helping us in this area!)

o   Let’s ask God to cast light into the darkness and get us back into our right position with Him and the Son

·      Who is on your heart right now that motivates you enough to not block the Son?