On April 8, 2024, a total solar eclipse swept across North America. The shadow of the moon sailed from Mexico to the United States to Canada. The website science.nasa.gov states: “A total solar eclipse happens when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth, completely blocking the face of the Sun. The sky will darken as if it were dawn or dusk.” It was a truly spectacular moment for those who had the opportunity to sit in the shadow of the moon and behold the sun’s spectacular corona. This was a rare astronomical event as in some locations the darkness created by the total eclipse lasted for up to four and a half minutes in the middle of the day!
It is understandable that ancient civilizations developed colorful mythology to explain a disappearing sun. Their fables included frogs, wolves, or fire dogs eating the sun. Some accused the moon of trying to steal the sun. Some people in Togo believed the sun and the moon were fighting and the only way to get them to stop was to make peace with their enemies. Some accused the sun of trying to steal people’s eyes, or felt it was a bad omen for a pregnant woman to go out of the house during an eclipse. The Navajo Native American people believed that an eclipse was part of the natural order and stayed inside fasting and singing.
We now understand what is happening during an eclipse, but we can still feel uneasy about darkness replacing the light. As we face times of spiritual and social darkness in the world today, it may seem impossible to see God’s hand at work. But as surely as we know that the sun remains the same and the eclipse will pass, we can know that our God never changes and He remains in control of our lives.
During an eclipse, the sun and the moon appear to be the same size. In fact, the sun is 400 times the size of the moon, and 400 times further away from us, which explains how the moon can completely block the view of the greater celestial orb. Similarly, the things that often impede our view of God are the things that are closest to us. If we remember that and keep it in perspective, we can continue to trust in God, even when we cannot see Him.