THE SOLAR ECLIPSE and GOD’S HOPE

"What has come into being in [Jesus] was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.” (John 1:3-5)

One of the great experiences that I had with fellowship staff, family, and friends this past Monday, April 8^th was to watch the partial solar eclipse together outside from the church parking lot.  While we here in Georgia did not have a total (100%) eclipse like some places experienced around in the U.S. west and north of us, it was still an impressive sight and experience! (You’ll see in this article some of the pictures I took of the partial eclipse with my own telescope).

For the 10 or so minutes that the sun was blocked 81% by the moon, we all noted that even though it was not a total eclipse, there was still a palpable temperature drop, and the sky was noticeably dimmer – it felt sort of like dusk on a Fall evening.  Perhaps you were outside that afternoon during the time of maximum blockage (3:01pm here in Georgia) and experienced something similar! 

But as awesome as this was, its transient nature reminded me of the very first Easter… just as the life, love and hope of God’s “Son” got “eclipsed” by the “darkness” of death and evil from the cross on Good Friday, the reality was that was only temporary.  Instead, just as the sun eventually reappeared shining at full strength on Monday afternoon after the end of the solar eclipse, so God’s “Son” resurrected Jesus reappeared on Easter morning “shining” his full light, love and hope again, as well.

In the same way, just as there are times in which the light, love and hope of God gets eclipsed in our own lives by “dark” things like tragedy, death, disease, division, racism, violence, war, fear, and so much else, those things do not last either – the “light” of God’s love, hope, and peace eventually win out and drive the dark away! 

So, when God’s light is “eclipsed” by darkness in your life, don’t give up hope – its only temporary; his “Son” will soon shine again!  Always remember that God loves you and I do, too!