Equinox – either of the two times each year (as about March 21 and September 23) when the sun crosses the equator and day and night are everywhere of equal length.
I checked the calendar this morning to see if we needed to stop on the way to school and pick up Ruben (we did), a fun, energetic pre-school boy in a family from our church that also attends Collège-Daniel in the “maternelle” class. It was there on the calendar that I noticed that it was the Autumnal Equinox today…the first day of Autumn. I knew that solstice had to do with the longest and shortest days of the year so I suppose that I could have guessed the meaning of equinox…especially given its fairly obvious etymology ;c)!
I’m glad, however, that I looked it up because this phrase “day and night are everywhere of equal length” really spoke to me (along with the other stirrings in my heart, of course…God is like that, ain’t He!?).
Recently (I speak of the last 9 months or so), there have been a number of prophetic words concerning the season(s) we’re in and where we’re going. Of particular note is the idea that much must and will change before the end of 2005. As I write, Katrina’s effects are still felt in New Orleans and the Gulf Coast and Rita is bearing down on Houston…all this with the Asian Tsunami still fresh in our minds and hearts and “wars and rumors of wars” echoing in the daily news. Sandwiched between all this is the less publicized but equally felt summer of weird weather that Europe has gone through.
Signs? Well, to me they line up fairly well…along with many other “smaller” events, words, etc. Their interpretation can, in my opinion, go in many valid directions at the same time, as can our responses. I think that God is big enough for that.
Back to Equinox…
In June, the light is increasing and the darkness decreasing. In September, however, our equinox is the milepost of equilibrium between light and darkness…but heading in the opposite direction. Jesus says, “We must work the works of Him who sent Me as long as it is day; night is coming when no one can work.” I think that night or darkness is coming. I think we’re perhaps going from a time where, on the surface at least, it will appear quite dark. I don’t say this from a “doomsday” perspective, because the Bible makes it clear that in the last days, both the dark and the light will become more pure or distinct. There will be a shaper contrast. The dark will be truly dark and the light will become more and more pure…but…from some vantage points (indeed many, I believe), there will seem to be only increasing darkness.
It will be this darkness or pressure or difficult circumstances or however many ways it manifests, that will provoke heart-level reactions from people. Some will seek God with an ardor they never knew existed in them (Lord, let that be me!) and others will curse Him. Indifference will begin to disappear. The lounge-chairs perched so precariously on the fence-tops will begin to teeter.
Personally, I’m asking God to help me with the heavy-lifting before one of my own upholstered monstrosities crashes on my own head! ;c))
Jesus begins the 14th chapter of John with: “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.” He then continues a discourse with His disciples that serves as a resume of their time together on earth and how that is about to change and what the new relationship will look like. Frankly, it doesn’t look too positive from the disciples perspective. Heck, we don’t like change! Little do the disciples know that it will look a whole lot worse very soon than they could even imagine! Jesus says some poignant words (duh!) toward the end of the chapter that we would all do well to really understand: “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you.”
The world gives us peace with material security and approval from others. Hmmm…Jesus must mean that I can have a peace even without those things. I’m definitely learning what that means and am happy to say that I see progress and a bit dismayed to say that I’m still in “Jesus Peace 101” in a life-long continuing education degree plan!
Jesus ends John 14 with these words: “But that the world may know that I love the Father, and as the Father gave Me commandment, so I do. Arise, let us go from here.”
Ok, it’s the midway point between light and darkness and night is falling. Jesus took His disciples with Him from the intimate fellowship around the table at the Passover Feast in the upper room into the night…into His Passion. He set an example for us. Therefore, “that the world may know…Arise, let us go from here.”