Moonglow

MOONGLOW...can either be romantic or sorta eerie. Benny Goodman wrote a song with the same name in 1933. It was the theme song to the movie, Picnic. Last night while I was cooking outside I glanced up to the east and saw this gorgeous full moon peering through the trees. It was masked by a thin cloud cover; glowing big time! I called my wife and even a lady across the street got into the act. I got my camera and took numerous photos. It was mesmerizing!

Simply, it is the soft glow of moonlight. But not all moonglows are created equal. Last night was an example. It wasn’t so much the moon and that it was full, it was the mystique that was created when everything came together so perfectly. Just one of those moments when Psalm 19 truly comes alive right before your eyes! Maybe David had seen similar views at night on the hillsides while tending his father’s sheep before penning the psalm.

When taking the photos I remember staring at the moon for quite some time as it climbed slowly into the sky. This morning God reminded me of something very significant in scripture. No one (no sinner) can look Him in the face and live to

tell about it! Ask Adam and Eve (post temptation bomb out). The first family walked with God and then was cast from the Garden as an act of grace for they were now sinners, separated from God, unable to look upon Him as before. Moses heard this from the Lord. ‘But He said, “You cannot see my face;

for no man shall see Me, and live”‘ (Ex. 33:20).

Jacob (Gen. 32:30) did and was spared it says. Grace in spades! Most times God was hidden in clouds or similar smoke such as in the tabernacle in the desert (Ex. 40:34) or on Mt. Sinai (Ex. 19:18). Once in the burning bush (Ex. 3:6) and passing by Moses with His back to him (Ex. 33:23). Even in the temple with Isaiah He was concealed by smoke (Isa. 6:4). And we see God appearing in a “bright cloud” that overshadowed Jesus, Moses and Elijah at the transfiguration (Mt. 17:5).

So, Bill, what does any of this have to do with the moon? Just this! The moon receives its light and reflects the sun’s rays. But I cannot gaze directly at the sun, the source of the light, without severe eye damage, even possible blindness. We can’t see God’s face directly and live, but because of His perfect love, He made it possible to see Him and live. Jesus said; “Not that anyone has seen the Father, except He who is from God; He has seen the Father” (Jn. 6:46) .

And Jesus went on to say; “If you had known Me, you would have known my

my Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him”

(Jn. 14:7).

God revealed Himself so we as fallen sinners could look upon Him through His Son whom He sent to earth. I looked at the moonglow last evening knowing I was seeing the sun’s light. What a gracious act on God’s part. We have both seen

Him and can know Him. Incredible! The Apostles and those other disciples

had the opportunity to view God through Jesus. Can you even imagine Mary and her privilege to birth, hold and look into the very face of God all those years?

One of Jesus’ most revealing statements about this truth is when He addressed Philip’s comment. “Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for

us” (Jn. 14:8). Isn’t that what we still want? If I could just ‘see’ God! Jesus doesn’t hesitate with Philip, nor does He with us. “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me'” (Jn. 14:9-10a)?

And the Father, through the Son, left no generational stone unturned. Thank you Thomas for stepping right in and asking for complete, undeniable evidence. He was allowed to put his fingers in Jesus’ hands and his hand in His side. Jesus said to him; “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (Jn. 20:29). He was referring to us. We can see God through His Son today. How, you ask? Through eyes of faith! He has left us with His word of truth, prayer, the witness of the saints and the martyrs. All of these are overseen by the Spirit. He testifies of Jesus! “However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come” (Jn. 16:13).

I look at the moon and believe that there is a sun because of the light shed from it onto the moon. I have been taught that and I believe it. And both of these celestial objects point us to their creator, God. That brilliant moonglow is just one of many testimonies of God’s existence. And He reminds us that we have no reason to doubt. “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse” (Rom. 1:20). No More Excuses! Look up and around you. Be strengthened in your faith in the God of ‘moonglows’ and a universe full of His glory. And don’t forget to point them out to others!

Bill C. Dotson

www.lifespeakstous.com

bill@abidingfathers.org

Scriptures taken from the New King James Version

Moonglow

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