A Useful Lump of Rock

Some days I find myself overwhelmed by the revelation of God and His ways in creation. Typically if I am not overwhelmed, it is because I am not paying attention.

This morning as I headed home from walking, the moon grabbed my attention. At 6:45 in the morning, the sun had already greatly lightened the sky. But the moon still shone brightly. In fact, even though it was not a full moon, it was still almost too bright to look at for very long!

I could not help but ponder anew the oft-discussed comparison between the moon and a believer's life. On its own, the moon is dark, cold, lifeless, and useless. It simply revolves around another planet in the solar system as a satellite with no real purpose. Add the sun into the mix, though, and the story changes completely. Suddenly the moon provides a light so bright that darkness scatters. Try stargazing, even with a telescope, when there is a full moon. The last time we tried, we gave up on the stars and decided to study the moon. But even with a moon filter on the telescope, the moon was too bright to study. We could hardly look at it with the naked eye, much less through the telescope! All because it reflects light from another source.

I am just as dead as a celestial lump of rock on my own. But when I allow the light of Christ to radiate through me, the brightness can dispel any darkness. Really and truly, that is what I want to do.

Sadly, I resemble the moon in another way, too. Frequently things come between me and the light I should reflect. This also highlights a major difference between the moon and me, however. The moon's light interruption is external - the earth. Nothing in the moon's power can prevent the earth from blocking some of the sun's light. My disruption is internal. The Spirit of God lives within me and should radiate from there. But I allow sinful things to block the beautiful, powerful light.

Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. Galatians 5:19-21

These things cling to darkness. That darkness blocks out the radiation of the Spirit in me. History has proven that no external force can block the light of Christ in His followers. Only their own sin can accomplish that feat. Unfortunately, my own sin, the very evils of these verses in Galatians, thrives all too often.

Today the view of the beautiful, amazing moon reminds me once again what should be radiating from my life. This world tries to convince me that I am free to do what I want, but in reality I am nothing more than a dead lump of rock unless the Spirit of God gives me purpose. And my only purpose is to reflect Him.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. Galatians 5:22-25