As
I sat on the back porch very early one morning, I caught a glimpse of something
moving in the shadows near our fence. Fearful that a skunk might be wandering nearby,
I froze and prayed it would go the other way. To my dismay, the creature crept
closer and closer. Once it entered the dim glow of light from inside our house I
realized that it was just a stray cat who regularly frequented the neighborhood.
Shadows can
be creepy. On a windy night, shadows seem to reach long, frightening fingers across
the bedroom wall. When tramping through a wooded area, rustlings in the shadows
make us move quickly to a brighter area. Walking down a street lined with
shadows cast by gas lamps and dim porch lights, makes us check behind us
frequently and hurry along.
In
unfamiliar surroundings, things seem to lurk in the shadows. Those with
sinister motives can wait in the shadows for unsuspecting victims. Even in our
own house, if I get up at night to get a drink or go to the bathroom, I always
find it a bit disconcerting when our cat silently appears out of the shadows.
We
often view shadows as threatening, but God’s Word puts shadows in a different
light: “People take
refuge in the shadow of God’s wings.” (Psalm 36:7) “Because you are my help, Lord, I sing
in the shadow of your wings.” (Psalm 63:7) “In the
shadow of your wings, I find protection . . .” (Psalm 57:1) “Whoever dwells in
the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.” (Psalm
91:1) “Each one will be like a shelter from the wind and a refuge from the
storm, like streams of water in the desert and the shadow of a great rock in a
thirsty land.” (Isaiah 32:2) “In the shadow of his hand God hid me . . .”
(Isaiah 49:2)
Illness,
failed relationships, financial ruin, wayward children, loss of a loved one,
and any one of myriads of other ominous situations can make us feel as though we
are walking through menacing shadows. When we place ourselves, not in the scary,
threatening shadows of the world, but in the comforting and loving shadows of
our heavenly Father’s wings, we find refuge, joy, love, protection, rest, and shelter.
Be
encouraged!
Pam©2018 Pamela D. Williams
