“BY THE LIGHT OF THE SILVERY MOON”

I hope you will join us in thinking about hope and moonlight a bit this month. Upcoming ministry trips to Africa, Asia and South America and recent life experiences (see family update) become “excuses” and reasons to get the mind and heart “in gear.” This month’s blog will share a little of the motion or movement now that we’re in the “car,” in gear and backing out of the garage. Please do keep praying for the preparation that precedes any trip; for the learning that must precede any teaching.

Our life here and now, everything we see and think about, blind us to the reality of heaven. Isn’t that strange . . . what we see keeps us from seeing? But it is more complicated --- our realities, which are closer to appearances and won’t last, make it virtually impossible to see the only Reality that lasts forever. We all think that death is the end of life, what could be more real than that?! No wonder we desperately want to go on living as long as possible! We begin life with hopes, lots of them. But aren’t our hopes for such things as happiness, comfort, success, pleasure? Notice that all these hopes are anchored solidly in the here and now and what must happen, if it will ever happen, is to have these hopes realized before we get old, before the end of life, before we die! No, I don’t think there is much encouragement to exchange our present hope for “the blessed hope.” But our hopes take us to disappointment and death don’t they? The blessed hope takes us through the suffering and disappointments of life, holds us in and through them, and makes death not an end but the beginning of a forever life in the presence of the One we do not now see and in whose mysterious ways we fail to see His wisdom or love. Here is where the moon comes in.

At night we see the light of the moon. Clouds can hide it and sometimes we don’t see it at all but it’s there and every time we see it we realize we aren’t really seeing any moonlight but borrowed sunlight, reflected light of the sun.

Hope is hard at “night.” Some times we see some light, but morning comes and when the sun rises, the light is not to be denied. It gloriously blazes away the darkness. We need the moon to keep helping us see the sun “at night” even indirectly, until the day comes and hope becomes sight. Be encouraged by the moonlight and anticipate the sunrise. Because the Son did rise there is hope of a new day, an eternal day with no longer any need for moonlight or hope or even the sunlight . . . “the city does not need the sun or moon to shine on it for the glory of God gives it light . . . “ (Rev. 21:23).

Until then, through the suffering and uncertainty and bewildering events of life, we live knowing the importance of hope. Until then, may we enjoy and be deeply ministered to by the light of the silvery moon and sunrises.

Actively waiting in hope with you,

Keith and Bonnie