Me and My Shadow

One of the first poems I remember my dad reading to me was "My Shadow," by Robert Lewis Stevenson.  As I grew, my cousins and I would play shadow tag during the summer months as a fun twist on an old game.  And who doesn't remember all the fun that Peter Pan had with his shadow?  

With all my childhood background with shadows, perhaps it's not surprising that one of my favorite Bible passages is Psalm 91.  Its first verse, "He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty," has been particularly meaningful to me and is one that I have prayed for numerous people when they have been in difficult situations.  

As I've been thinking more about shadows, however, I thought about one simple difference that can make a shadow something to be desired or something to be feared . . . who, or what, is making it.  As much fun as shadows were in a game of tag, they proved to be equally if not more terrifying whenever I went to bed and saw them through my bedroom.  Shadows, by very definition, are dark and cold and often distort a picture of reality.  There is a very fine line between a sweet shade and a scary shadow.  

When I thought of that in the context of Psalm 91, it gave the chapter a new meaning.  Verse 4 says that "He will cover you with His feathers and under His wings you will find refuge . . ."  Being under some large wings in a shadow sounds like it can be a pretty dark and lonely place to be IF one were to forget who was making the shadow.  If I looked back at the times when I've most often prayed this prayer it was during some of the scariest and darkest times that I've known.  I desperately called out to God for protection and help.  Resting in that shadow didn't always make things magically brighter or better, but it did provide me with indescribable comfort as I realized the darkness was not something to be feared, but a shade provided by my Heavenly Father.  Once again, darkness isn't bad if you know from where it's coming.

And so I have a great, big shadow that goes in and out with me.  And what can be the use of Him is far more than I can see. (That last part is for you, Dad.) :-)