Sun and Moon

Lately I have been listening to a lot of Phil Wickham's music. He is a popular and very talented Christian artist. His most recent album, Response, came out in October and has some really powerful lyrics that speak to my heart and desires. The song entitled Sun and Moon specifically moves in my soul for it puts voice and music to the deepest desire of my heart. Take a listen: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4oCknbD0Qk&feature=related

You can hear the desperation in his voice as he sings, "God I need a miracle. Take my heart, make it glow. Shine Your light from the inside out. I want to be more like You. If You are the sun then I want to be the moon." I looked up some information about the moon on Wikipedia (I know not a really reliable source) and I came across an interesting statement. It stated that the moon "is the brightest object in the sky after the Sun, although its surface is actually very dark, with a similar reflectance to coal." Oh how easily that can be said of you and me. The sun's light reflects off the moon making it the brightest object in the night sky, when in reality it is actually very dim and dark and dull. As human beings we are sinful from birth. It is innate within our beings. However, from the very moment we speak the words, "Christ I believe in you, I put my faith and trust in you and you alone", the Holy Spirit takes up residency within us and begins to reflect the light of God on us. We are still sinful. We don't profess belief in Christ and then our lives are better and we don't sin. That is not how it works. Once we believe, the Spirit lives in us and begins to change us slowly, painfully, and through many difficult circumstances. On the surface, we are dim and dark and dull, but God's light still reflects on us and shines through us despite our sin and even because of it. What an amazing and gracious God we serve that even though on the surface we have a dull reflectance, he still manages to shine his light on us and make us glow. Praise the Lord for his power!

However, my reflection of the relationship between the sun and moon does not stop there. As I thought about the moon more I realized that the moon's brightness is only seen at night when it is completely dark outside. That is when the moon best reflects the glorious light of the sun. In the darkness, the moon's reflective light shines. Think about that. We only see the moon in all its glory when it is dark. When we apply that to our lives it is somewhat startling. When difficult and dark circumstances arise in our lives, that is when God's glory shines the brightest in us and through us, if we allow it to. Difficult situations are opportunities for us to allow God's light to shine. When darkness is all around us, God's light through us shines the brightest. Paul was on to something when he stated, "when I am weak, then I am strong" (2 Corinthians 12:10). He knew that in times of darkness, the Lord's light would shine even greater, making him stronger even though he was weak. The same is true in our lives. In our weaknesses, in times of darkness, God's light shines and it shines bright and bold.

And so, I make this song my prayer, knowing that it may bring a time of darkness into my life. But I take comfort in the fact that God's light will shine brighter in me when it is dark, and that it is not I who am strong, but the Lord who is in me is my strength. May the light of the Son shine brightly in you life today. E.