Eclipse 2017: The Outskirts of His Ways

This past weekend our family make the trip to Hopkinsville, Kentucky to see the total solar eclipse. I went in thinking it would be neat, but I’m not sure I really thought a ton much more about it. We  stared and watched with our glasses as slowly the bites out of the sun got bigger and bigger. Our kids thought it was pretty funny, and we ooed and ahh-ed over the temperature decreasing and the darkness coming. Then all of a sudden, with the last sliver covered it went drastically darker. Everybody around us started cheering and clapping as we all took off our glasses to look on the sun/moon in front of us.

My only response was, “Whoa!” We stared, transfixed, amazed, and just in awe for 2 minutes. I couldn’t help but think how small we are. All of these people were brought together, staring up at an amazing phenomenon that we really have no control over. I couldn’t help but think how big God was, how big his power was.

By his power he stilled the sea;
    by his understanding he shattered Rahab.
 By his wind the heavens were made fair;
    his hand pierced the fleeing serpent.
Behold, these are but the outskirts of his ways,
    and how small a whisper do we hear of him!
    But the thunder of his power who can understand?”

Job 26:12-14

These are but the outskirts of his ways? How small a whisper do we hear of him?

This is incredible. Sobering. Humbling. Encouraging.

How comforting to know we will never tire of ways to know him deeper.  We will never exhaust his strength. We will never reach the end of his faithfulness. We will never empty his steadfast love to us.

The incredible glory we see of him displayed in this earth through the wonder of an eclipse, the beauty of nature, his goodness in his creation- these are but the outskirts of his ways. 

Again, all I can say is, “Whoa”