Shadows…..let me take you back to elementary school for a moment.
The teacher had just finished the movie projector presentation and the only image left on the movie screen was the bright light of the projector bulb. Quickly, all the students closest to the aisle of the projector started using their hands to display their shadow puppetry. Some of the images projected were amazing and complex. Personally, I was always in awe of my classmates creativity. Birds, rabbits, deer and many other images were too soon interrupted by the classroom lights being turned on and the projector turned off. These shadows were meant to entertain and amaze us, but what about the night time shadows? These shadows produce fear, apprehension and anxiety in us.
How many times have you been afraid of shadows? Both, adults and children have experienced fear when confronted with shadows. As a child, I remember waking during the night and seeing a shadow in my bedroom that made me immediately stop moving and hold my breath because I wasn’t sure what I was looking at. Once the shadow didn’t move, I let out a sigh of relief. My fears were abated. What is it about shadows that can elicit such an array of emotions? We feel amazement, happiness, fear and anxiety depending on the context of the shadows.
In the Bible, one of the best known verses about shadows comes from Psalm 23:4. ‘Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For you are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.’ A shadow can only be produced by an object coming between rays of light and a surface. Without a source of light there are no shadows. A shadow can also refer to a ‘feeling’ of uncertainty, sadness, gloom, or ominous oppressiveness. Regardless of the context in which a shadow is referred to, one thing is certain…..light will extinguish all shadows!
John 8:12 states, “When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, ” I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” Jesus is the light that will dispel fear, anxiety and darkness. All the shadows, both physically and spiritually are tamed by Jesus Christ. The Psalmist made sure to reference that by saying that even in the shadow of death I will fear no evil. You, Lord, are with me. How reassuring that is to know that all our questioning and anxieties can be alleviated because of the light of Christ. When we are in situations that cause us to feel apprehensive….marriages, illnesses, careers, finances and family dynamics, we only need to concentrate on the ‘light’ of Christ to dispel the darkness we face.
Even on sunny days we see shadows! Those are the shadows we do not fear because the sunlight makes them visible. Much like the hand shadow puppets we made to elicit joy, the light from the ‘Son’ can provide us the same assurances. Through the daylight and the darkest nights, God’s Son, Jesus Christ will give guidance to navigate our pathways. Don’t let the shadows scare you, because even through them…..we have the light of Christ available to us every moment of every day!
Encouragement for the Sojourner 