Yesterday morning was beautiful. About 11 a.m. it started getting cloudy. At noon, the sky was filled with gray clouds, but they were moving quickly. We had invited anyone from church who wanted to view the eclipse to our home. About 25 minutes after noon, there was a brief break in the clouds and using our special viewing glasses, we saw that lower right side of the sun was being blocked by the moon. The clouds kept moving quickly and at times we could see the progression of the eclipse without our glasses with the clouds acting as a filter. Then there would be a brief clearing and we could use our glasses to get a better look at the awesome sight. This continued as the eclipse progressed. We were able to see the moment the moon completely blocked the sun, then it went behind the clouds again. We marveled at how dark it was in the middle of the day All at one there was another break in the clouds and we saw the beautiful corona. The clouds continued as the eclipse was waning, but we still got to see it every now and again.

I hope you had a good viewing experience. It truly was an awesome display of the beauty of God’s creation. He set all that in place and is still in control of it all.

As we got glimpses of the eclipse, I continued to think about those who don’t know the true God, the one who revealed Himself in His Word and in the Word made flesh. They don’t know the love God has for them, that He sent His Son to rescue all people from their sins, that He wants only the best for us all, to draw us closer to Himself and have us with Him for eternity. He did everything necessary for that to happen. But many have only seen glimpses of who He is and still don’t know or understand what He has done for them.

When the eclipse hit its totality in our area, we were sitting in darkness. As the light began shining again, I was reminded of the Scriptures that speak of the light overcoming the darkness, and I share some of those with you to ponder on today.

John 1:5 The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.

2 Corinthians 4:6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.

Matthew 5:16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.