Shifting Shadows

The afternoon was quite warm, hot in fact.  That was why picking the perfect parking place at the shopping center was important.  As with all parking lots around here, this one had the few scattered trees and shrubs required by zoning laws--those green zones for added beauty. The question we needed answered was this, “Where is the shade going to be in an hour or so?” We certainly didn’t want to finish our shopping excursion by climbing into an auto-furnace for the drive home.  In a matter of seconds we had determined which way the sun was going and which trees had parking spaces on the east side of them.  In a blink of an eye we had pulled into the perfect parking spot. Much welcomed shade covered the entire hood of the car and part of the windshield.  We were set.

 

You readers are probably thinking that we returned to a car that was now in full sunlight and boiling hot.  Wrong.  The car was in complete shade, and relatively cool inside.  We were happy girls. Not only was the car nice and cool, but we had also accomplished what we had come for.  We had bought some clothes.

All the way back to the house I thought about shifting shadows, changing shadows, and moving shadows, as well as shadow-less days. So many shadow analogies swam around in my little brain, bouncing into the sides of my skull and ricocheting off each other that they made me dizzy. So, I am not writing about clothes or, for that matter, shopping.  I’m writing about shadows, not all shadows, that would take too long.  I will just share my thoughts on some shadows.

James 1:17 says, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” Hooray.  I can depend on God to be who he says he is.

The Alpha and the Omega

The Good Shepherd

The Bread of Life

The Living Water

The Great Physician

The Rock

King of kings and Lord of lords

My Provider

The list goes on and on.  Sorry I’m not putting in the Scripture references for these characteristics of God.  That is a good project for each of us to do on our own.  Anyway, these help describe our indescribable God and Father.  They are who he is; and he is unchangeable. I never have to wonder “IF” God will come through.  For me the question is always, “HOW”.  How will he answer my prayer?  How will he work in specific situations? Although I never know how he will answer or work, I do know without a doubt that he will answer and he will work.  That is who he is.

Here is something to ponder about shadows.  Shifting shadows do not come from the source of light; they are caused by something blocking the light source. Now, pretend you are a tree. And ask yourself, “What is there in my life that blocks the Son light.  Have my branches become so overgrown with anger, jealousy, lust, selfishness, and other sins that God’s light cannot even reach my heart?  Is it time for a good pruning?”

Now, let’s look at this from another angle.  We are no longer trees.  We are now just people who are intentionally hiding from God—modern day Adam and Eves. We seek out places that keep God’s light from reaching us, or we take refuge in the company of others who provide deep, shade where no light gets through. We can hide all we want, whether out of guilt, peer pressure, or believing lies about ourselves or about God, but God continues to seek us out.  He doesn’t give up as we try to hide in self-imposed shadow.

Lastly, there is a shadow that God places before us, a clef in the rock he puts us in, a shade that protects us from his full Glory.  As sinful people, we cannot behold that Shekinah, that Glory, that radiance, that blinding light that is GOD and live.

Yes, We live in a world of shifting shadows. Just when we think we have everything figured out and life is great, the shadow shifts and darkness comes through. Or, as in my case, the sun shines through even brighter to reveal new truths that are extremely painful.  On the other hand, when we think the ever darkening shadows will kill us off, the sun breaks through and brings new life.  No matter what the case, God is not the shifting shadow. He is the steadfast, unchanging, dependable, faithful one.  Shifting shadows are just part of the world we live in.  

So, we are caught in a conundrum for which we need wisdom and discernment. Are the shifting shadows in our lives from sin that is preventing us from seeing and experiencing who God is and what he wants to achieve through us, are they the deception of the evil one, or are they placed there by God because we are spiritually unable to look upon him in his full glory. 

For me, the answer is yes to all the above.  So, I'm off to the pruners. I don't want to live in shade caused by anything I have allowed to grow and block the Son light. I also don't want to be in self-erected Son blocks or in darkness provided by anyone else.  My desire is to be in only the glorious shade and shadow that God has given me.

Have a God day, all.