Living in the Shadow of His Hand

“For You will light my lamp; The Lord my God will enlighten my darkness.” – Psalms 18:28

We all go through times in our lives that it feels like we have a black cloud over our heads.  We feel like our lives are an empty pit of sorrow.  The stress of everyday living just sucks the joy out of us.   Everything just gets jacked up on two wheels.  We feel like we’re dredging through life.  There are days filled with tears, and days where we are too low to have any emotion at all.  In those days of darkness you sometimes just pray to sleep through the day because in all honesty you don’t want to live it.

The old song says “the sun will come out tomorrow”.  Hearing those words on one of those dark days may make you want to smack somebody because they obviously don’t understand how you feel.  But as cliché as it may sound, it is true. 

We relate those down days as “dark days”, and the good days as “days of sunshine”, which is an analogy that the Bible uses.  In the Bible, the sun represents light, and light is used to represent God and good.  But darkness is used to represent evil and times of sorrow.  Here’s some verses that show that representation:

“Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!” – Isaiah 5:20

“And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.” – John 3:19

“But when I looked for good, evil came to me;  and when I waited for light, then came darkness.” – Job 30:26

“In Him [Jesus] was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.” – John 1:4

“This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.” – 1 John 1:5-7

For children of God, there can only be days of shadows, not utter darkness.  While we may feel like God has left us, abandoned His children to the darkness of life, the truth is – it’s only a feeling.  His light remains in us, and His light overcomes darkness.  In fact, it is the only thing that can.

In Genesis 1:4 it says that “God divided the light from the darkness.”  This isn’t just a statement about the universe and the sun and moon.  God separates good and evil through His Holiness.  He is the one that determines what is holy and what is evil.  And just as you cannot have pure good and pure evil at the same time, you cannot have pure light and have pure darkness at the same time. 

But you cannot have shadows without the presence of light!  If you have His light, in your darkest days, you’re only living in the shadow.  He has promised “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5).  His light is in our hearts - His Holy Spirit.  For the child of God, there are days of shadow, but never days of true utter darkness.  The sun really will come out again (don’t slap me!).  His promise is for joy and peace, not sorrow and depression. 

We can accept the shadows because the light never leaves us.   As Michael W. Smith says in his song 'You Won’t Let Go', “No shadow comes without the light making a way”.  God allows us to endure the shadows from time to time.  In those times, our response should be to draw closer to Him.  Only light overcomes darkness.  Only good overcomes evil. 

“Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” – John 8:13

“For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light” – Ephesians 5:8

“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” – 1 Peter 2:9

“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” – Psalms 23:4

“For You will light my lamp; The Lord my God will enlighten my darkness.” – Psalms 18:28

“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” – John 16:3

 

Back in 2004 when God first asked me to write for Him, He gave me a title for what I then thought would be a book and later became this blog.  The title was “Living In The Shadow of His Hand.”  It was only today that He showed me the true meaning of “living in the shadow of His hand”.  I praise God that I only live in the shadow of darkness, and know that utter darkness will never overcome me.  He is with me, and will never leave me.  His light overshadows my life, and floods my soul.  I love you Father God.  You are an ever present help in time of trouble, the love of my life.

Friends, if you don't know Him as you Father, seek Him.  Seek out who He is, not just to know Him by name, but to KNOW Him and be known by Him.  He promises that if you do, you will find Him.  He is our source of joy, of hope, our light in the darkest of times.  Only when we embrace Him and His love do we really know what love is...unfailing, undeserved, unconditional love.  God be with you is my prayer for everyone who reads this.