My wife and I drove more than 1200 miles from Florida to Killeen, Texas to see the Total Eclipse.

In the two weeks leading up to the Eclipse (April 8, 2024), the long range weather forecast was foreboding: a mixture of sun, clouds, rain, and lightning on that Day!

Our worries grew as only a few days remained until the Eclipse. The weather forecast grew more precise, predicting the exact hours for the arrival of clouds, rain, and lightning—even tornadoes!

Despite our worries, we drove for three days to reach Killeen the day before the Eclipse. We didn’t want to be late for Totality. At Killeen, the Eclipse was only going to be Total for about 4 minutes.

Totality is the brief period when the Moon totally blocks the sun. At the time of Blackness, the Sun’s atmosphere—the Corona—becomes visible. It glows like a crown circling the blackened disk of the sun.

Almost all of the United States could see a partial Solar Eclipse that day.

In a partial eclipse, the Sun becomes a crescent. It’s like the changing crescent of the phases of the Moon—ranging from the almost full circle of an Almost Full Moon to a tiny sliver of a New Moon or an Old Moon (technically called a “Waning Crescent”).

But to see the Total Eclipse—Totality—we needed to be located within a narrow band that was only about 100 miles wide. This narrow Path of Totality crossed the United States from Texas to New England.

We picked Killeen, Texas because it was roughly the midpoint between where we started driving in Florida and where our daughter, her husband, and our grandson started driving in California. We wanted to be together to see Totality.

Right to the last moment, we didn’t know if the clouds would part so we could see Totality.

Here’s what I wrote to friends afterwards:

We saw Totality!

Very dramatic.

The Sun danced in and out of clouds during the hour before Totality.

With 15 minutes to go, a BIG, BLACK cloud covered the sun. We despaired.

But then, a miracle!

At the last possible moment, the sun returned, surrounded by the Corona! We enjoyed Totality for four minutes. Awesome!

People were cheering, and singing “Total Eclipse of the Heart”. We were on a college campus. So lots of youthful energy and enthusiasm.

Our 9-year old grandson didn’t stop talking. He’s ecstatic that Nana and Gampa drove so far to see the Eclipse with him.

As I think back on the Total Eclipse, I see how it illustrates which types of “clouds” threaten our ability to see that “in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28).

There are clouds of troubles and persecutions, and clouds of worries, the deceitfulness of wealth, and pleasures. (Matthew 13:21-22; Luke 8:13-14).

There are clouds of wars and rumors of war, famines, earthquakes, and persecutions. (Matthew 24:6-9).

Fortunately, in God’s good time and in God’s good way, he will remove those clouds that block our view of his glory.

How?

With the wind of the Spirit of the LORD!

The wind of the Spirit of the LORD chased away the Darkness at Creation. (Genesis 1:2).

The wind of the Spirit of the LORD blew away the Chaos at Creation. (Genesis 1:2).

The wind of the Spirit of the LORD blows wherever it pleases. (John 3:8).

The wind of the Spirit of the LORD blows away dark clouds of “sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like.” (Galatians 5:19-22).

Jesus intercedes for us so that the wind of the Spirit of the LORD uses the love of Christ to blow away all dark clouds of “trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or sword” (Romans 8:34-35)—such clouds conceal God’s glory that will be revealed in us (Romans 8:17-21).

And what is God’s glory that will be revealed in us?

God’s glory—the crowning beauty of the Corona of the Presence of the LORD—is revealed in us by the fruit of the Spirit of the LORD: “love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control”. (Galatians 5:22-23).

God’s glory—the crowning beauty of the Corona of the Presence of the LORD—is revealed in us by God’s compassion and grace, his slowness to anger, his love and faithfulness maintained across many generations, his forgiveness for wickedness, rebellion and sin, and his limitations (as much as feasible) on the bad consequences of our bad choices. (Exodus 34:6-7).

God’s glory—the crowning beauty of the Presence of the LORD—is revealed in us in all things because those of us who follow the Way of Jesus are more than conquerors through him who loved us. (Romans 8:37).

The wind of the Spirit of the LORD ban can even blow away the Chaos of the Twenty-First Century: wars and rumors of wars, plagues, famines, earthquakes, troubles, persecutions, worries, and the deceitfulness of wealth and pleasures.

Why?

Because no “clouds” (neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation) will be able to block us from the “Corona” of God’s glory—will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord! (Romans 8:37-39).

THINGS TO THINK ABOUT

The song “Total Eclipse of the Heart” was made famous in 1983 by the singer Bonnie Tyler. Have you ever heard it?

In the past, what “clouds” blocked your view of the Presence of the LORD?

How did the Spirit of the LORD blow away those clouds?

At the moment, what “clouds” are blocking your view of the Presence of the LORD?

How may the Spirit of the LORD blow away these “clouds”?

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For related thoughts, please read my blogs “The Total Eclipse: Miracle, Providence, Predestination, and Free Will”, “The Christmas Star: I Saw It in Real Life”, “The Star of Bethlehem Was a ‘Can of Tuna Fish’”, “The Nativity Scene: The Magi”, and “Grace and Peace—Ephesians”.