There is a swath across the United States, from Oregon to South Carolina 50 to 70 miles wide, awaiting in breathless anticipation for what is about to happen in another week. On August 21, a total eclipse of the sun will appear in the skies, plunging a bright day into utter darkness, when the moon comes between the earth and sun, blocking out the light. In Nashville, where we live, it will occur precisely between 1:27 and 1:29 in the afternoon.
Tens of millions of people have purchased special glasses to observe this extraordinary event. Without protection, eyes are permanently damaged. Even school children in those regions have been dismissed from school to witness this once in a lifetime event. It last occurred in Nashville in the year 1478 -- 539 years ago. None of us will be around when it visits Nashville next.
My husband and I attended a lecture about the eclipse at the Vanderbilt University observatory. The precise mathematical details were incredible, calculated and analyzed and studied by prominent PhD scholars and scientists. Our lecturer had either his doctorate in astronomy or astro-physics (or maybe both). He had mapped out the facts and figures in colorful charts and graphs, pointing out the exactness of this spectacular event.
A total solar eclipse does not just suddenly appear, but can be calculated exactly in time and place, far in the past and into the future, down to the second, even where to stand along its exact path, a thousand feet on either side altering one's vision of it. We were supplied facts on what, where, when, why, and how. People in the audience were quite excited, peppering the lecturer afterwards with questions for clarification. The lecturer was energized by their curiosity. He was prepared by decades of study and detailed information.
Towards the end of the question and answer period, a little three year old girl raised her hand. She said into the microphone in her tiny little voice, "But
WHO made the sun and moon?"
It was as if all air had been sucked out of the room, along with all the facts and figures and models and knowledge. The answer for "who" had been left out of the discussion, the answer for "who" was so obvious in that silence that no one -- believer in God or not-- had to answer. The evidence of God, as Creator and designer, was blatant before us. His Presence resounded in that room.
The lecturer was speechless. That little girl's question hung in the air, seemingly printed in
bold type and CAPITAL letters. In all of his study and deep research, he neglected the question "who.". It was almost as if after his hour long lecture about this phenomenal eclipse, a tiny pre-school girl had set him up for this question. The answer was obvious and profound:
God.
The lecturer stood at his podium, silent for the first time in almost two hours. He stumbled and fumbled -- this man of elaborate explanations and equations -- and finally spit out, "Well, that's rather complicated."
Even the audience chuckled at the irony.
The presence of God is so complex, there is no end to discovery. The evidence is so obvious, even the smallest child can recognize Him.
All the calculations are incredible, because they are so seamlessly woven. But don't forget the awe. What we recognize as beauty and wonder are only His fingerprints all over it.
So in a week, when this extraordinary event in nature spans across the skies, may the majesty of God rise up in the heart of every observer.
Things like this don't just happen.
There is design to it, nothing has changed, all the way to the beginning of time "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth." Genesis 1.1.
Last week, I asked our four year old grandson, who is already mesmerized by study of astronomy, "So Adri, who made the sun and moon?" He looked up at me and laughed out loud, "God, of course!"
...let all the inhabitants of the world
stand in awe of Him!
For He spoke,
and it came to be;
He commanded,
and it stood forth.
Psalm 33. 8-9
