The Moon is Still There
I know things are crazy. It’s hard to keep track of all the chaos in this world right now. It can be terribly confusing. But if we stop and think about it, there is always chaos in the world. That’s the nature of this world. It’s characteristic of this time. Maybe we just become more aware of it because the chaos comes to the surface and is made more apparent at times.
It’s a little bit like my sinful heart. I may go on for a time and think I’m “doing pretty well,” but then my sin comes to the surface out of nowhere and is made much more apparent. Yep, it’s still there. My heart can still be chaotic. The world, and its manifestation of sin, is just on a grander scale, perhaps.
Last night, when we were taking out the trash, out of the corner of my eye, I saw the moon. I thought, “I haven’t really looked up at the sky much lately.” It was interesting to consider that the moon still hangs in the sky, where it’s suppose to be. It wasn’t quite dark yet, so it was that beautiful, white moon you can imagine with a blue backdrop. Did you see it too?
God gave the moon to govern the night (Gen 1:16). Our country seems to be “in the night” at the moment. Darkness is everywhere. God has promised us that, in the time between Christ’s first and second comings, there will be times of pestilence (Check), injustice (Check), civil unrest (Check), persecution (Check), and the list could go on and on.
Though we may grieve over these and perhaps seek to remedy them, we shouldn’t be surprised by them, nor should we expect them to disappear. This is the world we live in. This is the world we spawned in Adam. This is not, and never will be, the renewed world that Jesus is bringing at his return. We must remember that the solution to the problems of this world are not found in this world, but in another.
But while there is darkness in this world, there is the moon.
I saw the moon and took it as a little reminder from the Lord that he set the moon to govern even the darkness. His hand governs even the darkness.
Why is that important? We need to know that there is absolutely nothing that is happening that is outside of his rule. He ordained it in eternity past. This doesn’t make evil good. It means that we can breathe easier because the world is really not out of control. From our perspective, it may seem that it is. But when, by faith, we see things from the perspective of our good, all-powerful, sovereign, Triune God’s perspective, we can find rest from the weariness and turmoil of this life. The moon hangs as a testimony to this truth.
One day, that moon will turn to blood and its rule of the night will end. Darkness will end. Chaos will be brought to order in the New Heavens and the New Earth. I can’t wait for that to happen.
But until that time, the moon will hang in its proper place as a reminder to us that there is not one microscopic piece of existence that is not governed by our precious Jesus. The one who lived, died and rose again for you has all authority in heaven and earth. He is trustworthy, and he is powerful enough to handle the chaos of this world and the chaos of your life. Rest in him.