written by Connie Dunmyer
James 1:17 – “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”
When we first moved into our house, I was dealing with a physical pain like I’d never known before due to 3 collapsed vertebrae in my neck. I lost the use of my left arm for all intents and purposes. I dreaded bedtime because I could not even lay down without positioning pillows in a pinpoint-perfect-position. But at night, what I did have was the moon. It just so happened that during that period of time, the moon would shine right over me at night. I found it to be an overwhelming comfort as I would stare at the moon and fall asleep praying that God would take away my pain.
Margaret Clarkson, in her book “Grace Grows Best in Winter”, speaks of how there is a special faith & connection that happens to people who must bear pain – that God is somehow “right there” IN the pain. Not merely helping through it – but right there IN it with me. Connecting supernaturally. Not that one would pray for pain. However, I can say with assurance, my relationship with God deepened during those days (& nights).
The moon can be so bright sometimes. But it has no light source of itself. It is merely reflecting the sun’s light. There are multiple phases of the moon – sometimes it’s full and bright, sometimes it’s a mere sliver, and sometimes we cannot even see it at all. There are even “super moons” when it appears so close to the earth its size is magnified.
But even as a “super moon”, it is still only a reflection of the sun’s light.
So it is with God. We human beings we tend to hunt for “God-replacements” – for the reflected light. Typically, it starts innocently enough. We see something or someone good, and we tend to put our focus and attention on that good thing or person – in the creation – the person, place, or thing we have or want. In effect we are asking the created to “save us”, to “feed us”, to “entertain us”, to "make us happen", to “love us”.
"If only I made more money...", "If only I could find my soul-mate...", "If only I could see Europe...", "If only I could get out of bed...", "If only I didn't have to work...", "If only I could have children...", "If only I wasn't in pain...". The list is endless. And it's not a bad list at all.
But what we often forget, or miss entirely, is that all the good and wonderful created things and people that God has put into our lives, are people and things He has placed there to point us to Him – the only One Who can truly save us, feed us, enjoy us, and love us perfectly.
A sign can point us to a thing, but the sign is NOT the thing. The moon can reflect the sun, but it is NOT the sun. People can give us all the human love they have, but it is NOT perfect love – it is not God’s love. Creation and created beings point us to the Creator, but it can NEVER give us what the Creator can give.
All blessings are from the hand of God, but they have no ability to give you the one thing that your heart desperately desires – life. Jesus. ~ New Morning Mercies by Paul Tripp.
14 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. 15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. - Hebrews 4:14-16 (all emphases added).
So next time you see the moon, take some time to stare at it. Enjoy the created thing. Ponder and appreciate the perfect science and physics involved in the creation and placement of that moon to actually reflect the sun’s light back to us at night. And then give glory to the One Who created the sun, the moon, the stars and all the science, physics, chemistry, etc. just so that we can live and love and enjoy all of creation, just because He loves us . . . Just because He is IN IT with us.
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