by Doug Bing, Washington Conference president
Have you ever been afraid of shadows? Or at least have been afraid of what is hiding in the shadows or that you think is hiding in the shadows?
Recently I saw a video clip of a little boy who discovered his shadow as it followed him. He was not happy to have that shadow following him.
He tried to run away from the shadow only to turn around and see that it was still there. He walked toward the shadow to try and make it go away. It was still there.
He yelled in frustration at the shadow and eventually started to cry because the shadow would not go away.
Not only that the shadow even imitated everything that he did. It was annoying and frightening to the child who had not seen this phenomenon before.
Shadows can be fun. Shadows can be frightening.
What is hiding in the shadows can terrify. What we think is hiding in the shadows can be even more terrifying.
The devil tried to make God terrifying. The great book Steps to Christ page 11 tells us about the devil’s tactics:
He pictured the Creator as a being who is watching with jealous eye to discern the errors and mistakes of men, that He may visit judgement upon them.
This kind of deity would be terrifying if you thought that they were standing in the shadows watching you and ready to pounce on you at any misstep.
I love the rest of the statement there in Steps to Christ:
It was to remove this dark shadow, by revealing to the world the infinite love of God, that Jesus came to live among men.
Jesus is the light of the world and He came to displace all the scary shadows that the devil would like us to think God dwells. Jesus doesn’t dwell in shadows. He is the Light of the world, the Bread of life, the Water of life. Not a single thing about Jesus is in the shadow.
Hebrews 4:15,16 is the good news about Jesus:
For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
That is not a God in the shadows. That is a God that invites you into His throne room and invites us to place ourselves and our needs, our temptations, our anguish, our joys, and our thanksgivings right there and He hears and sympathizes.
As you go through this week and this new year don’t be afraid of the shadows that the devil tries to place in your life when it relates to God.
Instead go into the throne room with confidence and place yourselves in the light that is the light and life of Jesus.