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Pursuing Answers to Questions of Faith & Life

Sunday, July 25, 2010

Lesson From Nature - Full or New Moon?

Last night was impressive.  Vicky and I came back from the store and were commenting about how bright it was.  We walked out to the street and noticed that there were shadows on the driveway from the trees across the street.  We turned around and saw our own shadows.  All coming from the Full Moon at 9:30 at night.

It's amazing to think how the moon can cast a shadow because it is so bright.  The moon is not the source of the light, it merely is reflecting light from a greater source... the sun.  The moon is functioning as a giant mirror in the sky reflecting the brightness of the sun that is shining on the other side of the world.

However, as you can see above--the moon is not always full.  It waxes and wanes depending on the time of the month and it's position around the earth. 


Sometimes the moon will be so bright it can cast a shadow.  Other times, you'll barely be able to see it at all.

All of that got me to thinking.  Which would I rather be?  The Full moon or the New moon?

As believers in Jesus, we are supposed to be more like the Full moon--fully reflecting a glory that is not our own.  We are not a source of the light, we merely reflect the glory that belongs to and comes from God.


2 Corinthians 3:18-- "And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit."


We reflect a glory that is ours through faith in Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 1:3 - "The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word."

The more we are like Christ, the more we reflect His glory.  The more we allow ourselves to be conformed into the image of Jesus, the greater light that shines from us--or more accurately reflects from us.

My problem is that some days, I am more like the New moon than I am the Full moon.  I am like one of the phases--I reflect some light, but am darkened in other areas.

The world is covered in a darkness and it needs the light of our Savior reflected in our lives.

How about you?  What kind of moon are you?