Metaphors from the Moon
Category: Religion and Philosophy
I really get this. Tonight I saw the moon. It was full, glowing, bright. It was only the moon, yet I could barely look at it. Soon all these spiritual metaphors were flowing into my mind. I really should go outside more. Sometimes I wonder why I left CA, because it was warm enough there to enjoy outside even in the winter. I think I hope to move back to a warm climate. There were benefits to places like Fiji and Hawaii. I think I experienced God so much more because I surrounded myself with nature. Though I might be surrounded by four walls, my space heater and computer in this VA winter..... tonight, in my car, I was able to see God in nature.
So, going back to the spiritual metaphors....I don't think I reflect God like the moon was reflecting the Sun. But you know what? It hit me that if the moon could reflect the sun so vividly even though it is sooo not the sun, then maybe I too can reflect God. No not just dimly, but with amazing beauty and charisma. With a blinding brightness, even though its obvious I am not God (um...just like the moon isn't the sun).
Then, the I remembered years ago when one time I was sitting peering at a full moon one Valentines Day, the year before I got married. I believed God told me He was giving the moon to me. I mean, that probably sounds weird. Yet, it was the most special gift. Its like the time my mom told me before she went on a trip to remember her whenever I heard the frogs croaking out my window (not as romantic). And, I do. And now, since then, the moon is such a connection between me and God. Sometimes I am convinced He must do spectacular things with the moon just for me right when I happen to glance up. Okay, I am sure its me and everyone else. Heck, I don't care if God "gave the moon" to everyone else. He gave it to me, dang it! And not me "too" even though it is me too....but it doesn't feel like it. And isn't salvation like that? He has offered it to us humans, yet just the same, it is the most personal thing ever. And it doesn't stop there.
Moments before I saw the moon tonight I was pondering how much salvation just doesn't do it for me. I mean, it should. Yet, I know I am terrible at thinking outside of my reality. And being saved from eternal death is just not my personal reality. I don't feel and have never felt like I was going to hell. I can say "yep, I am saved, I am going to heaven." Don't get me wrong, I am glad about it. It would suck if I wasn't. But I don't "get" it. I don't FEEL it, its just a mind knowledge. So, even though being saved and all does cut it, I am sad to say that I am much too human and demanding to really "get" Christianity just because of that. I just don't think that would do it for me. But, there is something that turns me on to this deal. Its that I am daily saved, daily renewed, I have new life currently. My pastor keeps harping on the verse in John 10 where Jesus said He came to bring "life to the fullest," and for good reason. This has always been one of my favorite verses. What this verse means gives meaning to life. And I think that's why there are so many countless people who live under the title of being a Christian but don't act like it and don't live like it. They wouldn't die for Christ, because they can't daily die to themselves. Why not? Because they don't get that there is really something that we are sooo freakin' blessed to get by doing that [dying]. We have life! We can FEEL that. That hits our reality now! Salvation is not just fire control, escaping hell. Its also so much about not being burned right now. And tonight, I felt burnt.
So, I know your wondering, "um...what about the moon? Wasn't this blog supposed to be about the moon?" So, with that, here was my other spiritual metaphor I pulled out of my moon-time which encompasses the present and the future:
It was so amazing. It was a glimpse of what Heaven must be like. There were moon bows; rainbows which were surrounding tonights blinding full moon with the clouds whipping past it. And that kinda fits the description in Revelations; the throne of God surrounded by rainbows with clouds of His glory and the Spirit passing by. Wow. crazy. And for a split second I almost could "get" the reality of heaven. Maybe for the first time. It was like sneaking a peak into a window when your not supposed to know what's inside yet (which, unrelated, I did really do the other day with a flashlight and all). It was such a little amount of Glory to be seen. But "for the Glory of it all ..." (Which happened to be the David Crowder song playing at the moment) as I sat there in the car in the cold night, I was reminded I am here for the Glory of YOU (no, not you person reading this. I mean God, silly....wait, you mean its not normal for people switch from first person to second person in the middle of a paragraph? I guess not). There is purpose in my living because you are glorified and enjoy helping me through, making me better, helping me thrive when I don't feel I can survive. No, Its not a game, but its fun for you, isn't it? You like helping me out and giving me that life to the fullest. You like say "sweet, check out my resurrection power in Elisa over there!" You get a kick out of it. And with that in mind I suddenly felt the energy, the strength to go back into my house. To face my sick and crying baby. To smile at my husband and want to love and appreciate him even when I don't feel perfectly loved. To face the work that needs to be done and the life I sometimes don't always prefer but I have anyways. Why? Because I wanted to give that gift to you, God. I just understood that it would make you happy letting you have fun by filling me full of life. To let you enjoying seeing your amazing power working in my life. I think that I think you only like to do that when other people are around to see, you know, so you are more "glorified" among the masses by the cool stuff you can do in me. But you don't need an audience to be glorified. Nope. You just need me.
So, that's what I got out of the moon tonight.
2 Corinthians 1:8-9:
"[W]e were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead."
 | Currently listening : Remedy By David Crowder Band Release date: 25 September, 2007 |
