Beautiful Reflection
The moon stands in the sky. It is night. All is quiet, she is quiet. She shares the light of the sun and transmutes it into a soft, cool pool of light upon which we can gaze. She does not resent the fact that her light is not her own. And we do not look down on her for it, but upwards in awe.
Like Eve, formed from the bone of Adam, the moon is the sun’s counterpart as night is to day- a cycle complete. Before our eyes, she shifts and changes to a rhythmical dance as old as time. We are her daughters, following her patterns and dancing with her. In a circle. A place of belonging. Under that shared light. Drinking in the ancient song. –Lauren O.
An old man once told me, “Think of something that fills you with wonder. Maybe it’s a flower blooming, the sunrise, a child’s laughter… Now ask yourself, could you commit to observing this thing every day? Try it, and see how it deepens your spirituality.”
For me, it was the moon that had captured my intrigue. My sister and I were taking a walk one night and beheld an incredible moonbow. At the time, I didn’t know there was such a thing. I can only describe it as magical and it was very special getting to share that moment with my sister.
Around that time I was also learning just how intimately women are connected to and governed by the moon. Before modern electricity, all women ovulated at the full moon and bled at the new (dark) moon.
I took up the nightly ritual of moon gazing, and what that man said was true for me. As I watched her follow after the sun across the sky each evening, I perceived my spirituality deepening and these words are what I drew up from that moonbeam-infused well.
And all of us have had that veil removed so that we can be mirrors that brightly reflect the glory of the Lord. And as the Spirit of the Lord works within us, we become more and more like him and reflect his glory even more. 2 Corinthians 3:18
When I read this verse after starting this ritual, I immediately connected it to the moon’s symbolism which I was coming to understand.
The moon is like a mirror. It reflects the sun’s light, just as we, the Church, should reflect the light of the Son. The monthly waxing of the moon is a recurring reminder that as the Spirit works in us, we reflect His glory more and more. I can only think it is a recurring reminder for a reason! At times, like the moon, we turn away from the source of Light and no longer shine. He is ever asking us to return to Him.
Then we will no longer be like children, forever changing our minds about what we believe because someone has told us something different or because someone has cleverly lied to us and made the lie sound like the truth. Instead, we will hold to the truth in love, becoming more and more in every way like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. Ephesians 4:14-15
For a husband is the head of his wife as Christ is the head of his body, the church; he gave his life to be her Savior. Ephesians 5:23
From the beginning, God ordained for his people, his bride, to be in synch with the moon, for the Jewish calendar is and always has been lunar. Genesis 1:14 says, “And God said, “Let there be lights in the vault of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark sacred times, and days and years.” Like the wise men who saw the star, our Bridegroom has instructed us to watch the sky for his midnight arrival (Matthew 25).
Moon gazing has made me an observer of the night sky. Now my connection to the moon is a spiritual one. I don’t worship her (Deuteronomy 4:19); rather, I see her as a beautiful reflection of the light of the Son.
His dynasty will go on forever; his throne is as secure as the sun, as eternal as the moon, my faithful witness in the sky! Psalm 89:36-37
In closing, it seems fitting to share my latest moon story. This year I had the pleasure of spending Easter with close friends on a quiet farm in Virginia. The day before Easter was a full moon. That evening, we lit sparklers for the kids and ran up and down the path with wild abandon. As the sparklers died out, we noticed one of the mountain peaks luminous with moonlight. We realized the full moon was just about to crest and sat down to watch. It was like watching the sun rise, but all in silver tones. I thought it was a glorious reflection of what Easter means to us: He is risen.
Do you have any stories or insights about the moon? Share with us in the comments below!
Picture Credit: Around the Moon, 1872, reimagined by: Lauren, Kym, & Meg