Since I am currently obsessed with all things in the sky, it just seemed right to make a trip to see the eclipse in all of its amazingness! The guys and I and our friend, Sue, headed out to try to find a place from which it was easy to escape. ( The trip home in 2017 was such a crazy experience that it almost eclipsed the eclipse!)
In that effort, we were successful, and besides, this time was pretty amazing all on its own. We arrived at our destination in Jubilee Park in Van Wert, Ohio, and set up right away to take some pictures.
Coming so soon after Easter, I couldn’t help but realize how this total solar eclipse is like the death of Jesus Christ more than 2,000 years ago. Jesus was the Light of the World, but he died and was buried in a tomb.
Did you ever think about how the tomb that Jesus was buried inside, with the round opening and the round stone over the mouth, looks a lot like the way it does when the moon rolls across the face of the sun?
And just as the Light of the World went inside a tomb and the world was totally dark for a short time, the sun went behind the moon and the world was dark for a short time. Back then, after three days, the stone was rolled away, and the Light of the World emerged to shine brightly in the world again! And today, the bright sun soon peeked out, and was revealed in all of its glory.
To underscore the idea that a solar eclipse is a sign of Jesus’ death and resurrection, the Bible records the fact that on the day Jesus died, there was a total solar eclipse that lasted for THREE HOURS. (Luke 24:44-45) (This one only lasted for three minutes.)
Can you imagine three hours of darkness? Would you wonder if it was going to be dark forever? I would. Look at the world’s hysteria when we had a short little three-minutes of darkness today. Back then, it was a sign that pointed to our Savior’s return after three days, and today it’s a sign as well, but we don’t know how long it will be until he comes back.
After Jesus rose, he spent 40 days on this earth, and was seen by hundreds of people during that time. What will happen when he comes back to the earth this time? Makes you think, doesn’t it? He is going to set things right, and it will be a day of rejoicing for some (for those who follow him), and for others it will be something to dread (for those who have refused him).
If you don’t know Jesus, it’s as easy as asking him to reveal himself to you, and then following him. He doesn’t want a slave, but he does want loyal friends. We know what he wants by reading his Word, the Bible. He just wants us to love him and love each other. He wants a relationship with us! Can you imagine how amazing it is to be considered the friend of God?
Bottom line: The Light hides for a time, but then it comes back. We just saw that today. Jesus is coming back, so do not fear! He is making all things NEW. (That sounds like heaven to me!)
After the eclipse was over, we looked around and noticed a few interesting things. One was the way the shadows looked sort of pulled, like they had been drawn in charcoal and then smudged. The second was the strange shadows cast against a white garage that was beneath a bare tree. The dense branches created slim places where the sun shone through in the shape it currently was in.
What an amazing thing to witness! We were so thrilled to have the opportunity, and were specially-blessed when our friends, Eli and Stephanie, showed up with extra eclipse glasses! Yay! It was Providence! Thanks also to my dad, who loaned us the use of his “gas-sipping” car for the trip.
And thank you for reading about it! The Lord is good! Keep looking up!
The Fullers Four 