The faithful have always taken regular looks toward the heavenlies. Doing so reminds us of a few things.

4 min read

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden." -Jesus, Matthew 5:14

Where I live – in the Midwestern United States – we are transitioning into the fall season. Harvesting of corn and soybeans is underway and the leaves of our trees will soon change colors and fall to the ground.

It is a sensational time of the year.

Something else that contributes to the beauty of this special season is the exquisitely beautiful views of the moon. Pretty soon, what they call the Harvest Moon will be big, bright, and aglow for several consecutive nights. It was named the Harvest Moon long ago, because the extra moonlight would allow farmers to work later into the evening while harvesting their crops.

No Telescope Required

Maybe it was a Harvest Moon that David was gazing upon when he wrote these words a long time ago:

When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,
what is man that you are mindful of him,
and the son of man that you care for him?
-David, Psalm 8:3-4

Under the brilliant light of the moon and stars, David sensed the glory and immensity of God. But it also made him feel small. He was overcome by the idea that the Creator of the Universe knew him personally and would be kind enough to tend to his needs.

The Man on the Moon

In this dark cultural moment, many of us wonder how we could possibly make a difference. As we hear of incomprehensible deeds and unspeakable tragedies, it is doing a number on our hearts.

Yet, a gaze up at the moon this fall will remind us of a few simple but important truths:

1. We all have a dark side. Just like the moon, we all have another side to us. There is a part of us that is neither visible to the general public, nor is it very attractive. As the Bible says, “As it is written: ‘None is righteous, no, not one‘” (Romans 3:10) and “We have all sinned and come short of God’s glory” (Romans 3:23). This isn’t to shame us, but to keep us humble and aware of our need for God’s mercy.
2. We all have the capacity to reflect light. Just like the moon reflects the light of the sun, so you and I can reflect the light of the Son, Jesus Christ. The moon has no light of its own. By itself, it is dark. But as it faces the sun, the light bounces off of its surface and shines throughout the galaxy. Similarly, in Christ, we have the opportunity to reflect his light. As Jesus said, “Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).
3. The more we are facing the Son, the brighter we will be. Just like the moon varies in its brightness and size, based on a cycle that sometimes has it broadside to the sun and sometimes barely facing it all, so we tend to vary in the brightness of our light. Sometimes our glow is full and sometimes it’s barely a sliver. What makes the difference? It’s simple. Just like the glow of the moon depends on how much of its surface is facing the sun, so our glow depends on how much we are facing Jesus. Personally, this fact is what helps motivate me to put distractions aside and give my face to Jesus for a few moments every day. I can almost feel a brightening effect as I open my Bible and share my heart with him in prayer.

Things Are Looking Up

It is tempting in difficult times like these to just throw up our hands in despair and denounce the whole mess. The enemy would love nothing more. As strong and aggressive as the encroaching darkness may be, may God help us to never give in to it.

Instead, may we dare to believe that the light of Jesus is unquenchable and that light is what this world needs right now and always.

In more ways than one, we can expect that there is a full moon coming!

It’s a new day with God. Run with it.