On Wednesday night, we witnessed a total lunar eclipse. This phenomenon occurs when the moon passes completely through the earth’s shadow. This is called the umbral shadow. Within the umbra (shadow), the source of light is completely blocked by the object causing the shadow. This accounts for the dimming of the moon.
Herein is a great illustration of the Christian life. Many times we find ourselves in the shadow of our circumstances. Our problems loom so large, that we can‚Äôt see the light of our Savior‚Äôs love. Depending on the size of the problem, there might be a “total” eclipse or a “partial” eclipse, just like the kind we see in the sky. We can be just a little discouraged, or we can be totally depressed. The range is vast, and the problems are real.
When you find yourself in such a shadow, take encouragement from the Scriptures. The psalmist prayed, “My soul clings to the dust; revive me according to Your word…. My soul melts from heaviness; strengthen me according to Your word.” (Psalm 119:25, 28)
When David found himself in difficult circumstances, he reminded himself, “The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” (Psalm 27:1)
There are times when we feel that God is not there. We don‚Äôt sense the light of His presence. But that doesn‚Äôt mean He isn‚Äôt there. He is there! “For He has said, ‚ÄòI will never leave you nor forsake you‚Äô” (Heb. 13:5). The challenge for us is to trust God‚Äôs word over our feelings. In fact, the psalmist went so far as to say, “It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I may learn Your statutes” (Psalm 119:71, emphasis mine). Some of life‚Äôs best lessons can be learned in the most trying seasons, if we will but turn to God in prayer, clinging to His promises.
Also remember that God’s word abides forever, but our trials don’t and won’t. The total phase of Wednesday’s eclipse (the time that the moon was completely immersed within the Earth’s dark shadow) was under fifty minutes. This is significantly less than the last total lunar eclipse (Aug. 28, 2007), which lasted ninety minutes. Likewise, some trials we experience are comparatively longer or shorter than others. But the point is that regardless of their length, they are all temporary and will eventually pass.
The key for us is to wait. Isn‚Äôt that precisely what David told himself to do in his dark moments? He began Psalm 27 by saying, “The LORD is my light,” and he ended the psalm by saying, “Wait on the LORD; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the LORD!”
Wise counsel! With that in mind, I leave you with this beautiful song entitled Wait that my cousin Ted Fletcher composed a few years ago and just recently posted on YouTube. (In the video, Ted is the man kneeling in prayer.) May this song encourage you to wait on the Lord in the midst of your trial – and He will strengthen your heart!