Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ!

            April 8^th is going to be a very interesting day! If you haven’t heard, there is thing happening called the solar eclipse and Salem just happens to be within the path of totality. This means that we get to experience about two minutes of total darkness about two in the afternoon. That is definitely going to seem odd, but yet really cool at the same time!

            Last time a solar eclipse came close to Salem was in August of 2017. Jessica and I happened to be signing the closing papers on our house in Nebraska the day it happened. Where we were, it got a little darker outside, but if you didn’t know that there was a solar eclipse going on, you may have thought that there were some clouds in the sky. So needless to say, I’m definitely looking forward to being in the path of totality for this eclipse and getting to see it in person!

            But should we be excited or terrified? I don’t know what it was like in 2017, but with this solar eclipse, there is a lot of chatter on the Internet. Some of the chatter is good and interesting, some of it though is not so good and can be rather terrifying.

            You see, there have been a lot of different prophetic statements going around in regards to the path of the eclipse, how it intersects with the previous one, the towns it is going over, the towns it is not going over … just so much stuff. Stuff that people are focusing on and stuff that is scaring people.

            Is this eclipse a sign that the end is coming, that Jesus is coming back and Judgment Day will be upon us? I don’t know, I don’t have an answer to that because we really have no idea. We need to remember that Jesus Himself says in Matthew 24, “Concerning that day and hour, not even the angels, nor the Son, but only the Father knows. … Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming” (Matt. 24:36, 42).

            With these words, we are reminded that we should be ready for the return of Jesus all the time. Other places in the Bible tell us that Jesus’ return is going to be like a thief in the night. Last time I checked, thieves don’t call you up and ask for a schedule of when you are going to be home or not.

            And yes, I know that there are also Biblical passages which talk about the blood moon and about the signs and wonders of the coming of the Son of Man. I get that what Jesus says in Matthew 24 also sounds a lot like this upcoming eclipse. But again … we just don’t know. God is in total control of this. Simply put … we need to always be ready.

            Personally speaking, I’m looking forward to the eclipse. In thinking about it, I can’t help but go to a passage like Psalm 19 where Kind David writes, “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky proclaims his handiwork” (Ps. 19:1). The things which God has created and reveals to us is absolutely amazing. There is definitely more than meets the eye out there. We, in this particular time and space are being blessed with the ability to see some of God’s handiwork.

            I also think of Psalm 8, where King David writes again, “O LORD, our LORD, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens. … When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?” (Ps. 8:1, 3-4).

            Of the grandness of the sky, the grandness of all that is within the universe … what are you and I that our Lord would care for us? We are truly blessed to be loved by such an all-powerful, all-knowing, and all-loving God. Considering how small we are compared to everything else, for God to send His only Son to live and die for us … that is absolutely breathtaking.

            Hopefully we are all able to see the eclipse and the handiwork of God’s fingers in the sky. As we approach that day, please remember too that while others may try to scare us with the “end of the world” talk … as Christians, not only are we called to be ready … but we know the end of the story. We know what is waiting for those who believe in Jesus as their Savior. We have eternal life in the perfect new heavens and new earth with our Savior.

            Enjoy the eclipse and remember to get and wear your fancy eclipse glasses when staring up at the sun!

            God’s blessings!

Pastor Mike

One more thing … don’t miss the announcement in this newsletter about the Eclipse Watch Party at church! See you there!