The sun darkening…the fact that our moon: essentially a piece of space trash that won the gravity lottery, will be able to waltz right in front of our sun and literally blot it out for even a little while is fascinating. Science, nature, and things spinning entirely out of our control will draw us all outside, wearing goofy glasses to experience this eerie phenomenon.
My heart is still tender with post-Easter reflections. A total eclipse happened the day Jesus died, too. Can you imagine hearing his moaning, blood dripping everywhere as your beloved agonizingly died while the moon slowly blotted out the sun? Gradual darkness-not like night—more of an eerie darkness where the light we depend on is unnaturally muted.
It was that way on purpose from the beginning: "And God said, 'Let there be lights in the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark sacred times, and days and years." Genesis 1:14. Signs in the Heavens stimulate our curiosity, shake us from expecting nature to fall in line, and unsettle our expectations that things will always be the same.
Maybe an eclipse happened that day because Jesus is LIGHT, so as He slowly died, the light dimmed with Him. When the sky darkened on the day Jesus died, what felt like hopelessness to those who followed Him was actually ripping open a path to Heaven.
The night before, Jesus sweated blood—not because He dreaded the pain humans would soon inflict on Him, but for the agony of knowing He would be separated from God. ONE sin is all it takes to lose access to God's presence. Jesus took them all. It was the only sacrifice that would last. That is what holiness demands—pure holiness.
If we count on our own goodness, when we close our eyes for the last time, we will have to stand in our own defense. Here's the deal...We don't have to ask Jesus to cover our sins with His sacrifice; He will respect our choice. However, the consequence is that we will not be allowed in the presence of Holy God. The only place where His presence will NOT be is Hell. Since God is light, there will be agony and hopelessness in Hell because of its complete darkness. We have such wide-ranging views of what Hell is like, but in it's simplest form, it is the absence of God; it is the absence of light. It is condemning ourselves to be forever separated from light. That's where agony and misery come into play. Complete darkness, alone: no hope, no light, no companion. For eternity...
Do you know why we may be uncomfortable talking about Heaven and Hell? There is a little scripture in Revelation 13:6 that gives us a clue: "It (the beast, Satan's mouthpiece) opened its mouth to blaspheme God and to slander His name, and His DWELLING PLACE, and those who live in Heaven."
Satan's three blasphemes: God, His dwelling place, and the beings who are there with Him. Don't you see how this mentality works? Satan wanted that life so badly, but his attempt to do it his way instead of God's way cost him everything. To preserve pride, he trashes it and spews hate. Many of us follow that rage rhetoric to our demise.
Today, as you ponder the eerie feeling of the light being unnaturally dimmed, reflect on how vital light is to your life. Ask Jesus for the gift of His sacrifice. Ask Him to forgive you for your sins and to be the Savior and Lord of your life. Trust Him to guide you with marvelous light—where nothing is hidden. It's not a trick or a trap. It's love. It's because He SO loved us.
Please don't fall for the blaspheme of an enemy who knows his time of access to the light is limited. Don't fall for the lies about God and Heaven. If you wonder what life after death will be like for someone who surrenders their life to Jesus, read about the Garden of Eden. I will write more of my ideas soon, but ask Him. Ask Him what His love is creating for YOU. Ask Him what it looks like to follow Him. Don't be fooled by the blasphemes. Don't be numbed by the Satanic lullaby that keeps us content. Life after death is so much longer than we can wrap our minds around. We owe it to ourselves to intentionally make a choice.
Let the eclipse today cause us to think deeper. Ponder intentionally. Remind us of the cross. If you need proof that Jesus' sacrifice sets us free, read what happened in Matthew 27:45-56. It's wild.