The sun and the moon. Jesus and me.

“And God made the two great lights—the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night—and the stars. And God set them in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth, to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good.” Genesis‬ ‭1‬:‭16‬-‭18‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Recently, I was driving home from my son’s football practice, and the moon was shining bright, nearly a full moon, but not quite. I was focused on getting home and what all I needed to do to get everyone in bed at a decent time. Fix dinner, wash the dishes, sweep the floor, prepare lunches (and coffee), check the backpack, and bring in all the football gear. In the middle of me running through my to-do list, a thought occurred to me. Something I learned in third-grade science class. The moon reflects the sun. This got me thinking about moon phases and how the phase we see is directly based on the moon’s positioning in the sky. If the moon is not in the proper location, the sun’s rays cannot reach it, and therefore, it will not reflect the light back to Earth, leaving us in the dark. 

Isn’t it true that I also need to be in the correct position to reflect the Son? My heart needs to be seeking Jesus in order to reflect the light and love He gives. I need to be spending time in His presence, in the Word, in prayer, and in obedience. How can I reflect His love if I’m not in a position first to receive it?

“You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.” Jeremiah‬ ‭29‬:‭13‬ ‭ESV‬‬

This word, obedience, has been following me around lately. It’s so easy to do things my way. To watch a movie instead of studying the Word. To take a nap instead of going for a walk. To eat tacos instead of a salad. Comfort. What I want. Not choosing what’s best for me but choosing what’s easiest at the moment. Then the consequences come. But when I come back to obedience, when I remember what it means and the benefits of choosing it, I begin to see a change in my life. Growth. When I do the things that are best for me, even when I don’t want to, I can see God moving in the situations that I’m submitting to Him. I’m no longer seeking comfort, but I’m seeking the Comforter. When I’m following in obedience, submitting and surrendering my will to His, I’m finally in a position to reflect the Son. 

“If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” John‬ ‭14‬:‭15‬ ‭ESV‬‬