THE PATH OF TOTALITY

 

THE PATH OF TOTALITY

By Gail K. Kachnycz; 14 March 2024, revised 30 April 2024

     The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you; The LORD lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace.

Numbers 6:24-26 NKJV 

     Today, a solar eclipse is anticipated as an incredible astronomical event. Thousands gather to view, and scientists prepare to gather data only available in the Path of Totality. Even though we understand the reason an eclipse occurs, there is something unsettling about the interruption of natural rhythms. In the Path of Totality, darkness envelopes us in the middle of a sunny day, along with an unusual sudden chill. Having the light return in the western sky, instead of the east, is startling and un-natural. No wonder the ancients were terrified! Unlike us, they were not assured that in the next hour the sun would return to full brilliance and warmth.

     I see a spiritual parallel that I would like to share with you. There may be times in our lives when the darkness of deep pain overcomes us. Examples from my own life are the death of my mother after a car crash, and the recommendation of hospice status for my husband Mike. You can probably think of a time when you thought hope was lost. We did nothing to cause it, and there was nothing we could have done to prevent it. The shadow of suffering swept over us, plunging us into the darkness. We wondered why God’s face was not shining on us; where had He gone? We struggled to find His peace. In that dark time we may despair, but we are not alone.

     In Genesis Chapter 32, Jacob spent a night in darkness and despair. He feared that his brother Esau, who was traveling to meet him with 400 men, would kill him and his family. However, Jacob was not alone. He encountered someone, and wrestled with Him through the night. Although he could not gain the upper hand, Jacob persisted and refused to give up. 

Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”

So he said to him, “What is your name?”

And he said, “Jacob.”

Then he said, “Your name shall no longer be Jacob, but Israel, for you have contended with God and with men, and have prevailed.”

And Jacob asked him and said, “Please tell me your name.”

But he said, “Why is it that you ask my name?” And he blessed him there.

So Jacob named the place Peniel, for he said, “I have seen God face to face, yet my life has been spared.” Now the sun rose upon him just as he crossed over Penuel, and he was limping on his hip. Genesis 32:26-31 NASB2020 

     When we are in the darkness, we are not alone. God is there. He does not mind if we wrestle with Him. We can dare to “take the glasses off,” express our true feelings and ask the hard questions. Hold on to God, and don’t let go until He blesses you, and you see His face. Like the streaming beams of the corona, some experiences of God’s care and compassion are only revealed in the darkest time, when the Path of Totality passes over our lives. Like Jacob, it is possible for us to see God “face to face” and live, to tell others of the grace and peace that emanate from His presence, even in the darkness.