Eclipse

The heavens proclaim the glory of God.
    The skies display his craftsmanship.
Day after day they continue to speak;
    night after night they make him known.
They speak without a sound or word;
    their voice is never heard.
Yet their message has gone throughout the earth,
    and their words to all the world.
Psalm 19:1-4 NLT

The biggest news around here is today’s Solar eclipse. Millions of people are in its path; millions more are traveling to see it. Jenna and I are two of those people. And it looks like we are going to among the lucky ones.

*A Canadian astronomer named J. W. Campbell
traveled around the world for 50 years
to try to see twelve different eclipses.
Unfortunately, he ran into overcast skies every time.
(Discover Magazine)

Poor fellow!

**********

The internet is full of explanations of the eclipse phenomenon. This one caught my attention.

Astronomy author and educator Ed Ting says that in a solar eclipse,
the moon passes exactly between your eyes and the sun,
and casts its shadow on the Earth.
That shadow is only about 100 miles wide,
so you have to be in a specific place to witness the solar eclipse in totality.
It’s all the result of a freakish cosmic coincidence,
when the moon and sun appear to be the exact same size in the sky.
“The sun is 400 times bigger than the moon,” said Ting.
“But by happy coincidence, it is also 400 times further away.
So, from our perspective they are the same size.”
(MSN.com)

Really? “Freakish cosmic coincidence? Happy coincidence?” Rather, a gift. From our loving God who created it exactly as it had to be so that His creatures could marvel at His greatness.

And Who deserves our praise forever.

Praise him, sun and moon!
    Praise him, all you twinkling stars!
Let every created thing give praise to the Lord,
    for he issued his command, and they came into being.
He set them in place forever and ever.
    His decree will never be revoked.
Psalm 148:3, 5-6 NLT