“Navigating The Shadows”

Back in the 1930s, the CBS radio show called “The Shadow,” became a overnight national sensation. Each week families would gather around their radios to hear James La Curto dramatize the popular Detective Story Hour. The following year, Frank Readrick, Jr. became the star detective, but only for a brief period of time before the show’s ownership was transferred. By 1937 the magnetic radio show personality Orson Wells, had begun playing the featured character “The Shadow”. For nearly two decades, this mystifying character entertained audiences with stories of mystery and intrigue.

Shadows have always represented the unknown. In Job 12:22 (NIV): we see that “He (God) reveals the deep things of darkness and brings deep shadows into the light.” The Message Bible has an interesting paraphrase of this verse stating, “He shines a spotlight into caves of darkness, and hauls deepest darkness into the noonday sun.” It’s God’s intention that we as Christians come out of the shadowy places of life and dwell in the light. His light!

Perhaps the first thing that comes to your mind when you think of the word shadow is the twenty third Psalm. In verse four the Psalmist describes God’s guiding presence even while we “walk through the valley of the shadow of death.” Job 10:21 also speaks of this shadow of death as “the place of no return, to the land of gloom and deep shadow.” Prior to the coming of Christ, everyone was trapped in this type of shadowy existence.

Thankfully that was not the end of our story. The prophet Isaiah in 9:2 proclaimed that Christ would come and “the people walking in darkness will see a great light.” He goes on to say that for “those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.” This prophesy was later fulfilled in Matthew 4:16, through the person of Jesus Christ. As Christian believers we have the glorious privilege of being filled with God’s light.

The Origin of the Shadow:

Wikipedia defines a shadow as “an area where direct light from a light source cannot reach due to obstruction by an object. It occupies all of the space behind an opaque object with light in front of it.” Have you ever noticed how shadow lengths change throughout the day? At noon shadows disappear while at sunrise and sunset shadows can be greatly expanded. In addition, multiple shadows can appear if more than one light source exists.

Similarly, the Christian moving closer to Christ, (our light source,) can be less affected by life’s obstructions that may cloud or distort our vision. Shadow dwelling, leaves us groping in the shady areas of life searching for meaning and fulfillment that can only be found in God. As Christ followers, we should long to experience the intimacy Mary found when learning that she was pregnant with the Christ child. Luke 1:35, tells us the angel answered and said, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will OVERSHADOW you.” Imagine for a moment what that must have felt like to be put in the shade of God. What an incredible opportunity that each of us have everyday to walk in the bright daylight with Christ, just as He promised in John 8:12.

Obstructions to God’s Light:

Circumstances, people, attitudes, pain, and all forms of sin can block the overshadowing light of Christ. Often we find ourselves thrown into situations that we may or may not have played an active role of getting ourselves into. In some cases, we might feel trapped by our circumstance or bound up in our pitiful condition. Christ challenges us to evaluate the situation carefully and step around the circumstances of life and back out into the light of Christ’s presence. It’s only in His presence that wisdom and direction can be given to overcome the challenge.

Another block to our relationship with God can be people. It’s often people we feel God put in our pathway to help, who can become the very ones that become co-dependent with us. Equally damaging are the people who want to dictate and control our opinions and decisions. With courage we must step past people, (but not on top of them,) back into the full light of Christ. It is only from this position of His power and perspective that we can effectively minister to and positively influence people.

Have you ever noticed how easily an opinion can be formed? It’s frightening to realize that a tiny thought or impression can mushroom into a firmly established attitude. Mind-sets are generally unconscious. Often unless they are painfully pointed out by others we do not recognize them. Living with a mind shaded in misconceptions, can impede the light of God’s love and power needed to live a victorious Christ filled life.

For years the subject of “Pain” has been touted as the gift nobody wants. Dr. Paul Brand and Phillip Yancey actually wrote a book on that subject. Sadly we have all found that sustained pain blocks concentration and may cause us to become irritable. From Genesis throughout the old and new testaments, we find God’s healing power made available to His people. In James 5:14-16, he says, “Are any of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven.”
Pain can be completely healed or at the very least alleviated with confession and anointed prayer.

It doesn’t take long for any Christian to become aware that even the tiniest of sins get in the way of our relationship with God. God reminds us of this in Jeremiah 16:17 when he says, “My eyes are on all their ways; they are not hidden from me, nor is their sin concealed from my eyes.” God is holy but we are not. Only as we stay open to the light of Christ can we have our sin removed and forgiven. The New Living Translation of Romans 3:23 & 24 puts it this way; “For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins.” As we live and walk in the fullness of the light of Jesus we have full assurance that our sin problem has been dealt with, (according to 1 John 1:9.)

God’s Articles of Shade and Shadow:

Mysteriously in the Word of God, He speaks of other objects used to provide a place of shadow or refuge for His people.

ROCK: In Isaiah 32:2 the Prophet speaks of a great rock (Christ.) With Christ living inside us he declares, “Each man 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.” Imagine being used as a Christ-filled bolder for God to provide safety, strength, and shade for someone in need.

WING: Solomon known as the wisest man who ever lived described “the way of an eagle in the sky, “ in Proverbs 30:19, as being one of the four things he did not understand. Interestingly his father King David used the metaphor of wings to describe his place of refuge in God. We see in Psalms 17:8, 36:7, 57:1, and 63:1 the protective sheltering “Wings” of God. In summer a birds’ wings shadow or shade offering coolness from hot weather, while in winter providing warmth and comfort.

HAND: Finally, God’s very own hand was used in scripture to provide a covering and refuge for us. In Isaiah 49:2 the prophet said that “in the shadow of His hand He hid me,” and again in Isaiah 51:16 we are told that “I covered you with the shadow of My hand."

Shadows Uncovered:

Perhaps the famous painter Michael Angelo expressed it best when he said, “Everything that we see is a SHADOW cast by that which we do not see.” Each one of us has been blessed with gifts and talents which may be used for God’s glory. Staying properly connected with our heavenly Father gives us the boldness we need to navigate past the hindrances of life. As we consistently peer around shadowy corners of our existence and bravely step toward God’s light, we will be forever embraced by the powerful outshining love of Christ!