Have you ever sat and stared at the moon? It is really quite exceptional. Tonight especially it seems extra-full, like it is calling to me. With a espresso frappucino way too late in the afternoon and a full moon overhead, I am once again a prisoner to my thoughts.
Tonight I dare say the moon looks strange. It presently looks like I have a spotlight shinning in my backyard. I walked outside just for fun to see how visible the night appeared. Typing in the light of the moon is a strange concept, but a fun thing to do.
What I find so interesting about the moon is that the moon itself does not glow. From where I sit it lights up everything around me like someone from heaven is shinning a flashlight down at me. "Hello" I dare say quietly back, as to not terrify my neighbors. How can something in the sky and so far away be that brilliant, and yet not actually shine? The moon reflects the sun, it has no light of its own. How very peculiar that in the middle of the night, the time when our world is shrouded with darkness, the moon offers me a small reflection of the gloriousness of the sun that I cannot currently see.
I have to sit and wonder in amazement at the genius behind this creation. Even in the darkest night, we are given a reminder of our ever-burning sun and greeted with the expectancy and promise of a new day.
The greys of the night around me remind me of C.S. Lewis' writings about shadows. This life is but a shadow of things yet to come. The brilliant colors of fall, deep shades of blue skies, florescent accents of wildflowers are, in effect, like walking in moonlight compared to what is to come. So why are we here, living among the shadows? What is the purpose of it all? It is unnerving to think about the huge timeline of humanity that is laid out and realize our lives are just a small blimp of time, not even noticeable from much of a distance. So what is the point? It cannot possibly be to make a name for ourselves- that cannot be long-lasting. It can't be wealth and prosperity, since that is of no use to anyone at the end of this life.
No, I have to somehow believe that our biggest investment is going to come by how much we can advance the Kingdom of God where we live right now. How can I represent Christ where I work, where I play, where I eat, shop, exercise and do everything else? If faith, hope and love are all that will remain when all is said and done, I must from time-to-time stop and evaluate, "Am I growing in faith? Am I growing in hope? Am I growing in love?" If I am not, I must, for the sake of the Kingdom of God, realign myself with His purposes.
In a small worldview, perhaps God has called us all to be little moons? Isn't our job, after all, to reflect The Son?
Then again, how ever more glorious to know that we are not just reflecting Christ Jesus, but that He lives within us! We are "lights on a hill!" We can actually SHINE like the sun! We are not weakling, reflective moons (sorry moon, no offense)! We were created to SHINE!
As I bask in the light of this ever-bright moon, I am in wonder at knowing it is nothing compared to the vast brilliance of Christ shinning in us! If only we all had the courage to open up and SHINE!
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