Ron Hutchcraft- Seasoned reporters were groping for words. And almost giddy about what they were seeing.
The former commander of the International Space Station - moved beyond his scientific detachment - testified to a sense of "ancient wonder." (Looking at the eclipse)
The eyes of a nation were turned skyward this week. In their special eclipse glasses. As God did - as He has done for millennia - His disappearing act with the sun again. A total solar eclipse eclipsed even the usual newsnami from Washington.
The eyes of a nation were turned skyward this week. In their special eclipse glasses. As God did - as He has done for millennia - His disappearing act with the sun again. A total solar eclipse eclipsed even the usual newsnami from Washington.
It was fun watching people watch the cosmic blackout. And listening to their roaring cheers as their location went dark with "totality."
I couldn't help but think of something in the Book of Job that always puts a smile on my face. Job, still reeling from the staggering loss of loved ones, health and wealth, is celebrating the immensity of his God. As revealed in His creation.
Job refers to how God "spreads out the northern skies...wraps up the waters in His clouds" . . . and "marks out the horizon." How "by His power He churned up the sea" . . . "by His breath the skies became fair" . . . and how He makes "the pillars of the heavens quake."
Here's where I smile. Job says, "These are but the outer fringe of His works" (Job 26:14). Hilarious. All the breathtaking images that have come back to us from the Hubble Telescope - including the likelihood that there are two trillion galaxies! "Oh, that's just the beginning, folks! You ain't seen nothin' yet!"
His spectacles in the heavens are sending a simple message to every man or woman He created. "I'm God. You're not."
An eclipse is a big deal to us. And it should be. But to my Father, it's just part of the normal rhythm of a handful of heavenly beings in one of His two trillion galaxies.
Yet, there - third planet from the sun in this one galaxy - God Himself came down. As a man like us. To a people who had shaken our fist in His face and said to a person, "When it comes to running my personal universe, I'm God. You're not."
In the Bible's words, "Each of us has turned to His own way" and "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Isaiah 53:6; Romans 3:23).
Result. A total eclipse. Plunged into an awful soul darkness as our sin has come between us and our Creator. A darkness that will last for all eternity. "Without hope and without God," the Bible says (Ephesians 2:12).
Except for The Visit. The stunning descension of the God we had spurned coming down from the mountain to live among us. To die as one of us. By His choice. On a cross. Where He bore the hell that my sin deserves.
Our eclipse experience this week as a nation lasted about three hours. Two thousand years ago Israel experienced a long, three-hour darkness that changed the world. "From the sixth hour until the ninth hour (12:00 PM-3:00 PM) darkness came over all the land.
About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, ‘My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?'" (Matthew 27:45-46)
In that moment, God the Father turned His back on His Son - because He was carrying my sin. So He would never have to turn His back on me. That is love beyond words.
It got darker than it's ever been. So we would never have to live in the awful darkness away from God again.
I remember the day the Sun came out for me. The day Jesus came in. That Sun of God's love has never eclipsed since. Even on the harshest, hurtingest, darkest days of my life.
And one day I shall see Him face to face. When every eye on this planet will be looking skyward. Because Jesus "is coming with the clouds." And "every eye will see Him."
Ready or not, here He comes!
Father, as the eyes of our nation turned skyward recently, we were reminded through the total eclipse that You are in charge. Not us.
We can take a lesson from Job's understanding of You immensity as it is revealed in all creation.
Even though Job lossed his children, health and wealth, he could still see God's greatness all around him, to hold onto his belief that He was good.
Thankfully, Christ came to live among us, to die as one of us, by His own choice, on a brutal Roman cross, where He bore the hell that our sins deserve.
The 3 hours of total darkness that happened at His death, was brought to reality for us at the observance of the recent 3-hour total darkness experienced by many in our nation.
May we be ready to receive the love and compassion of Christ in the darkest days of our lives, and someday see Him face to face in all His glory.
I ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.
We can take a lesson from Job's understanding of You immensity as it is revealed in all creation.
Even though Job lossed his children, health and wealth, he could still see God's greatness all around him, to hold onto his belief that He was good.
Thankfully, Christ came to live among us, to die as one of us, by His own choice, on a brutal Roman cross, where He bore the hell that our sins deserve.
The 3 hours of total darkness that happened at His death, was brought to reality for us at the observance of the recent 3-hour total darkness experienced by many in our nation.
May we be ready to receive the love and compassion of Christ in the darkest days of our lives, and someday see Him face to face in all His glory.
I ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.
Today's Bible verse-
Philippians 4:4-7 (NKJV) "Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."
Larry Lea- "If in your heart you believe that Jesus will not win, that the devil is stronger, and that nothing you do is going to matter; if you speak out that attitude in the form of doubt, discouragement or fear, then the demonic forces have the ability to move into that area of your life to destroy you. What comes out of your mouth not only activates God in His arena, but it also activates the devil in his arena. That's one reason I say so often, 'Pray it before you say it!' "
Debbie McEwen: "Is your heart Today's question-
Do you understand the purpose of the church?
The various ministries in our churches are to build the local church body in faith and service. Every time God has moved in a particular way over the years, there has been a large participation. More and more revelation is given as folks seek Him. The revelations of the early church of repentance, baptism and infilling of the Holy Spirit have been given afresh to prepare us for Christ's return.
List of recent sermons of CFC ministers CFC Potsdam church has a live service at 10 am Sunday's for shut-ins. If for some reason you can't make it to the church you usually attend, click on the above link, and still get fed!
Upcoming posts-
#143 God's Word Arms with Faith for Prayer Warfare (4-6)
16th- Tuesday's post by Dr. Wesley L. Duewel
#144 Holy Pleadings and Argument before God
Thursday's post by Dr. Wesley L. Duewel
Seasons
23rd- Saturday's post by Lee Forbes
#145 How to Plead Before God (1-4)
26th- Tuesday's post by Dr. Wesley L. Duewel
Jean's blog
(Click to see snippets of the 7 recent posts)
(Click to see snippets of the 7 recent posts)
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Let us pray that we never allow the things of this world to interfere with our relationship with our Heavenly Father. Nothing is more important.
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