The Bright and Morning Star

I apologize right up front for another sky-view blog. I can’t seem to help myself. I think I've officially become an earth-moon-sun- star-gazer! I blame it on God Who keeps awing me every morning. I’m grateful I have His attention, because it would be misery to face blogging every day and wondering “What is there to blog about today?" Today, is my 2,334th blog and my "unlimited" God sure hasn’t let me run out of content.

Yesterday at 6:01 am, I captured this photo of the moon still high in the sky. What drew me in, was the bright star that was slightly above it. When I got home, I googled what that star was all about. I found that it wasn't a star at all. It is Venus, the planet. It can appear larger and closer to the sun than any other planet because it reflects 60% of the sun's light. From the Google site, I saw these words: "Venus, the Morning Star and Evening Star", but if Venus isn’t a star, why the nicknames? When Venus is on the other side of the Sun, it leads the Sun as it travels across the sky and will rise in the morning a few hours before the Sun. As the Sun rises, the sky brightens and Venus fades away in the day-sky. This is Venus the Morning Star. In the evening, when the sun sets, Venus is brightest when the sun goes down.

My analogy: in Revelations 22:16, Jesus referred to Himself as “the Bright Morning Star.” The Morning Star in Biblical times was the brightest star anyone saw in the sky, just before daylight. The famous Bethlehem star led the Wise Men to Jesus. That star "led", and Jesus as our Bright Morning Star is leading us, too -- right here at this time and place, and in the midst of all this chaos and confusion, Jesus, our Bright and Morning Star is wanting us to understand that He is with us and guiding us too. And, like Venus really isn’t a star, but a planet, Jesus isn’t just a star among many stars; He the ONE and ONLY Star. He IS the Way - the Truth - the Life. (John 14:6)

Venus, as the bright morning star, represents the promise of a new day! But let’s stop with this “Venus” talk. Let’s finish this blog by pointing us all to the promise of new days ahead for us. Many people around us are in darkness. They are hopeless, lost, confused and wonder “Could there ever be a better day?” Oh, yes, there is. It is this new day!

I know Jesus, the Bright Morning Star, personally. We talk and walk together daily. I once was lost in darkness, but now I'm found. I used to be hopeless and confused and wondered if I could make it another day, but since I met Jesus, it’s a new day every day. I used to have low self-esteem, but since I met Jesus, it’s a new day now. I used to feel sorry for myself, but it’s a new day now. I used to be afraid, but it’s a new day now. I wake up to each new day with great expectation that something good is going to happen to me today.

Oh, my precious friends, on the horizon is our Bright Morning Star Who tells us that not only will we rise and shine as a reflection of Him on this earth, but best-news-ever: we will forever be with Him "in the city that has no need of sun or moon, for the glory of God illuminates the city, and the Lamb is its light."
(Revelations 21:23)

"The Heavens Declare the Glory of God, and the Sky Above Proclaims His Handiwork" Psalm 19:1

Tuesday night (August 8th), Denise and I were playing Pickleball at the outdoor courts here in my community. The Texas heat means that we want to only play early morning or late evenings. While the wind is a factor for outdoor play, it also opens up the opportunities to be amazed at God's heavenly handiwork.

We noticed, to the East, the most beautiful orange/red moon just coming up behind the homes, pictured here. This photo doesn't do it justice. We remembered hearing about the solar eclipse that is happening August 21st. Suposedly it will be a huge astronomical event, with amazing visibility. When we googled this moon, however, we didn't find anything But this brilliant, scientific mind and zeal to know more (LOL!), checked it out the next day and I found it was Lunar Eclipse, not a Solar Eclipse. The 2nd photo here was taken in Spain.

So, what is a lunar eclipse? A lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes BEHIND the Earth and into its shadow. The Moon doesn't have its own light source; it is reflecting light from the Sun onto the Earth. So when the Sun, Earth, and Moon are all aligned, it means the Moon will pass into the shadow of the Earth. A lunar eclipse only happens during a full moon. A total lunar eclipse is often referred to as a blood moon. A solar eclipse is just the opposite. It occurs when the Moon passes BETWEEN the Sun and the Earth. A solar eclipse is also a lot shorter than a lunar eclipse and limited to a smaller viewing area of the world. You're welcome. I'm pleased to give a little scientific reporting to you, my FB friends. LOL!

But, Denise and I wondered (before I found out the next morning) why that orange/red moon Tuesday night, as we never heard about it. We, both, are in tune with what the Bible says about the moon being turned into blood in Joel 2:31, "The sun will be turned into darkness and the moon into blood before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes." And it also appears in the Book of Revelation 6:12 "And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood". So, along with the awe of the few minutes we had to look at this "heavenly sight", we both were saying "Come, Lord Jesus! We are ready to go! Take us up to be with You!" After all, Titus 2:12-13 says that the grace of God teaches us “to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the BLESSED HOPE — the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.” This night raised our awareness of that blessed hope we have as believers.

You might be thinking "Silly, delirious girls! You must be overheated by the Texas sun!" That's okay. I get it. But, for these two girls, we believe that just as Jesus came to this earth the first time as a baby, we also believe He's going to make a sonic boom re-entry in His Second Coming, because He said He would, "I will come again" John 14:3.

Max Lucado puts it this way. "As Christ came, He will come. But He won’t come as He came. He came quietly in Bethlehem. He will return in glory with a shout. “All who are in their graves will hear His voice and come out” (John 5:28). In Bethlehem, the just-born Jesus slept. Upon his return, “The Lord will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of an archangel and with the trumpet call of God” (1 Thessalonians 4:16). At the first coming, few people noticed. At His second, “All the nations of the world will be gathered before Him” (Matthew 25:32). In Bethlehem, Joseph placed Jesus in a manger. At his return, Jesus will be seated on a throne: “The Son of Man will come in great glory, with all his angels. He will be King and sit on His great throne” (Matthew 25:31). WOW, thanks, Max, for that awe-inspiring message on Christ's coming.

So, knowing all that -- why should we worry or fret about what today or tomorrow might bring on this earth? It just makes sense to be concerned when we live in a world of wars and conflict and where God is mocked and shunned. Aw! But not so for those of us who are devoted followers of Christ. We have nothing to fear or dread because as St. Peter said in 2 Peter 3:13 “What will happen next, and what we hope for, is what God promised: a new heaven and a new earth where justice reigns." So, go ahead, Lord, and perform Your wonders in the heavens and the earth and then, please come and get us!

Three times St. John recorded in the last chapter of the last book of the Bible, Revelation 22:20, Christ's wonderful promise: “I am coming quickly”. With St. John, and all Christians, we respond with deep yearning: “Even so, come, Lord Jesus!” In the meantime, we will be determined to be faithful, vigilant, hope-filled, devoted followers of Christ and continue to look up to the heavens at God's incredible handiwork.