Last night I was driving home with my mom and sister. I was admiring all of the stars and decided to play a song called “Maker of the Moon”.
“Hello maker of the moon. Your creation has inspired my every move.” But there was one little problem. I couldn’t find the moon. It was nowhere to be found in this clear, Saturday night sky. I couldn’t wait to get out of the car and look above us. Determined that it was there the whole time. As I jumped out and looked up…I found nothing.
Where did the moon go?! How did we go without noticing up to this moment? I’m the kind of girl who likes answers. So I had to Google this mystery. This is what I found:
“A new moon rises when the sun rises. It sets when the sun sets. It crosses the sky with the sun during the day. It’s only as the moon moves in orbit, as its lighted hemisphere begins to come into view from Earth.. [earthsky.org].”
I was content with this new found knowledge but felt something significant hadn’t hit yet, so I took a screenshot and moved on with my night. Fast forward nearly 24 hours.
“I feel like you’re the woman I always knew you’d become but I don’t know you. It’s beautiful.”
Woah, what an impactful sentence. One that doesn’t seem too pleasant coming from a friend. Talk about a heart check. Have I been changing that much? But hey, if she is willing to accept my change and think it’s beautiful…she’s a KEEPER, ya’ll! ❤
Erika has officially become MIA. As I was hashing this statement out in my mind and heart I thought about last night and the moon. Those around me finally noticed my absence, just as I did the moon’s. But oh man, what a glorious revelation.
When the moon cannot be found it’s because it’s rising and setting with the sun. Talk about a God moment! For a moment I was sad to hear the statement from my friend. But it uncovered so much more.
The old Erika has been missing. Unfound by those around her. Why? Because she’s going through a transformation. And now? She is rising and setting with the SON.
Therefore we are buried with Him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of His death, we shall be also in the likeness of His resurrection. – Romans 6:4-5 KJV
The AMP version…
…we too might walk habitually in newness of life [abandoning our old ways]. For if we have become one with Him [permanently united] in the likeness of His death, we will also certainly be [one with Him and share fully] in the likeness of His resurrection.
If abandoning self means that I have to go AWOL for a bit…I’m alright with that. Why? Because sharing fully in the likeness of Jesus Christ’s resurrection tells me that I will experience more love, mercy, and grace than my human mind could ever possibly fathom.
Father, thank you for showing that change is good. My friend said it best. It’s beautiful. Being unrecognizable and missing in You is BEAUTIFUL. And when the time is right I will be revealed to those around me. Your light shining through me, lighting the darkness around.
As Chris Tomlin sings in one of my current faves,
“I’m dressed in Your royalty. Your Holy Spirit lives in me. I see my past has been redeemed. The new has come. Now, I have resurrection power living on the inside.”
Thank you, Maker of the moon…Maker of this new Erika.
From Her Fortress. ❤
From Her Fortress 