The Wagley GroupSeptember, 2023 – Faithful Living ~
Gotta give a shout out to the Super Blue Moon extravaganza at the end of August.
Come on y’all, my hand is up to get your high five…don’t leave me hangin!
On Wednesday, August 30th a Super Blue Moon began rising in the southeastern night sky. What a sight it was. For those of you who witnessed this semi-rare event, wasn’t it AWESOME! For those who missed it, you’re going to have to wait another 14 years for another SBM pair that will actually appear in January and March of 2037. What will your age be? Ladies, I’ll give you a pass. I’ll be 78 God willing, and I can’t wait!
Google states, “About 25 percent of all full moons are super moons, but only 3 percent of full moons are blue moons. The time between super blue moons is quite irregular ― it can be as much as 20 years ― but in general, 10 years is the average.” And, according to The New York Times, the last one appeared in 2018 during a lunar eclipse.
NASA records that super moons appear larger to the size equivalence of comparing a nickel to a quarter. The size difference is about 14%. The moon appears larger, in these instances, and brighter because it’s ‘perigee’ elliptical rotation around the earth is closer as we both spin and revolve around the sun. An interesting note: The distance between the earth and our moon is nearly 240,000 miles. It would take about 85 trips between LA and NYC to get there. Pretty impressive. Our sun is about 93 million miles away but that is a topic for another time.
When Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, Jr. landed the “Eagle” Lunar Module late Sunday evening July 20, 1969 in the Sea of Tranquility for the first time ever, the commander of Apollo 11 planted the United States Flag…and they left impressions on the lunar surface while Major General Michael Collins remained with the Command Module orbiting the moon. Because of this great human achievement accomplished by these three heroic gentlemen, our Nation’s heart beat and foot print was resoundingly heard and seen around the world and in the heavens.
The moon has many functions. This satellite controls the tides, and in partnership with the sun, determines the seasons, days and years. The moon phases will guide farmers, and many others including hunters and animals. The lunar cycle is 29.5 days, and correlates in some ways to the monthly cycles of women. The moon also informed the ancient Israelites and other people groups when to hold their feasts and rituals. Throughout history, civilizations have had an important reliance on the moon for daily life.
Our moon, at about 18,000 miles closer last month, reminded me of how near our Lord is to us. God set everything in place a long time ago. And in authoring the Bible, He allowed His servant Moses to pen the book of Genesis. In the first chapter, it is written that the greater light [sun] was created to rule over the day and the lesser light [moon] to guide us by night, along with the starry host. When God was finished creating, He gave His only Son, Jesus the Christ, everything which included absolute dominion and authority over all things. Thus, Jesus has all power over the earth, the sun and moon, and the very expanse of heaven. All that God created, past, present and what will come in the future, was presented to our Lord as a gift by His Father and our Father.
Another biblical writer, the Prophet Isaiah who lived nearly 700 years before the birth of Jesus, penned in chapter 60, that the sun and moon in the age to come will no longer have to set. The darkness will no longer have a place to hide, because it will be vanquished by God’s glory. The LORD will be our Everlasting Light for all eternity.
The Apostle John was exiled by the Roman Emperor Domitian and writes the book of Revelation on the Greek island of Patmos, in the Aegean Sea about 63 years [AD 90] after the death of the Messiah. The Message translation as noted in 21:23, “The City doesn’t need sun or moon for light. God’s Glory is its light, the Lamb its lamp!
Now, let’s bring this concept closer to home. When a person says, “Yes!” to the saving power of Jesus, the Holy Spirit takes up residence and is the spiritual manifestation of the risen Lord within the Christ follower.
“Here’s another way to put it: You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I’m putting you on a light stand. Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven.”
Matthew 5: 14-16 MSG