SHADOWS

When you are outside, on a bright sunny day, you can clearly see your shadow. When you walk fast, your shadow walks fast. When you walk slowly, your shadow walks slowly. When my grandson, Max is outside with me and if he sees our shadow, he ignores his, and immediately start playing one of his made-up games, and he steps on my shadow.

What is a shadow? Shadows are formed when light hits an object it can't travel though. When you see your own shadow on a bright sunny day, your body blocks the light from the sun. You see, light travels in straight lights, and it can't bend around the body. This is why you can see your shadow. A shadow's outline is called a silhouette.

There are four characteristics of a shadow. A shadow is always erect, because it will be the same side-up as the object. A shadow is irrespective of the color of the object and it is always black. A shadow can be smaller, equal or bigger than the object. A shadow is formed on the opposite side of the source of light. A shadow is real, because it can be formed on a screen.

Groundhog Day is a day that is celebrated once a year. According to folklore, if it is cloudy on Groundhog Day, when a groundhog emerges from its burrow, then spring will come early. If it is sunny, the groundhog will see its shadow and retreat back into its burrow and the winter weather will continue for six more weeks.

Everybody have a shadow. Some shadows quickly move from us, some lives with us for a very long time. Some people live in the shadow of someone else. There are some people that may be living in your shadow.

When you shadow someone, you are following them secretly at a distance. Some people even box at shadows. When we hear the phrase, the shadow of doubt, it is to say that something is true without a shadow of a doubt, you are emphasizing that there is no doubt at all, that it is true. You can have a traumatic life event that shadows you, and it appears to hang around for years.

Shadows provide relief from the heat from the blazing sun. People think that they can hide their sins in shadows. The bible tells us about many different types of shadows. The bible tells us about the shadow of God's protection. It tells us about the shadow of death. The Apostle Peter's shadow healed people.

Scripture says, "Let no man therefore judge you in meat or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ" (Colossians 2:16-17). Let me simplify this for you. When it comes to food, let no vegan judge you about eating meat, and don't you judge a vegan. When it comes to a holyday or Sabbath days, let no other denomination judge you about where you attend church and when to attend church. Nor are you allowed to judge them, because that is between them and God. These things are shadows, but the substance belongs to Jesus Christ.

The word shadow appears over 70 times in the King James Bible. Usually when the word shadow is used in the Bible, it is prophetic, and about future events. The Apostle Paul explained it this way: "Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make all things according to the pattern shown to thee in the mount" (Hebrews 8:5). "These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ" (Colossians 2:17). A shadow is a physical form that is cast by something super substantial.

Another way the Bible uses shadow, when talking about the shortness of life. Ezra said, "For we are strangers before thee, and sojourners, as were all our fathers: our days on earth are as a shadow, and there is none abiding" (1 Chronicles 29:15). David said, "Man is like to vanity: his days are as a shadow that passeth away" (Psalm 144:4). Job said, "He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not" (Job 14:2).

Shadows can lengthen. "But it shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall he prolong his days, which are as a shadow; because he feareth not before God" (Ecclesiastes 8:13). As the day ends the shadows lengthen. The lives of the wicked will not grow longer as they approach the end of their life. Please understand, God knows our ending from the beginning, and even the godly dies young.

We dread death, are there shadows in death? David said, "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me" (Psalm 23:4). David gives us a description here, as a shadow. A shadow only exists as long there is light and when the light has been cast out, it is gone. God is the only source of light. Death is only a very brief shadow, because the shadows for Christians temporarily stands in our light. As a Christian, you enjoy having the light of Jesus shining on you and death is only but a brief shadow before we can see the brightest light of ALL, when we enter heaven. This reminds me of a song by The Mullins titled, Death Is Just A Door. The song second verse reads as follow: "Death is just a door to the door that is awaiting. Death is just a shadow into everlasting life. Death is often thought of as a very sad occasion. For the child of God, it's a door to brand new life."

When we have the proper relationship with God, we have a shadow. Scripture says, "How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings" (Psalm 36:7). "He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler" (Psalm 91:4). "But thou, O Lord art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head" (Psalm 3:3). "He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty" (Psalm 91:1). As a mother, I would give my life for my child. Because I am the child of the Living King, Jesus gave His life for me, for us. Yes, all who dwell "under the shadow of his wings" will live, forever.

Times change and people do to, but I praise my Lord and Savior that God never changes. God is always constant. He constantly blesses us each and everyday. God is a Shadow whom there can be no variation. "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows" (James 1:17). God created the universe and He provides us our light source. Our earth and our light source are always moving, but created things are subject to change. God was not created, because He is the Creator of ALL things that exist. Our God will never change. "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever" (Hebrews 13:8).

When there is no light, there can be no shadow. When you are out from the light, there will be no shadow. Those that refuse to step into the light and desire to live in darkness are in danger of living in eternal darkness, where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Jesus said, "I am the light of the world; he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life" (John 8:12). Whoever follows Jesus will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. Jesus tells us this because He wants to give us the vision to see who we are in Him. Praise God, because the Light of the world is the Light of Heaven. As Christians, we are a light in the darkness, because we give off light.

Your shadow follows you everywhere you go, and in everything you do. If your shadow was your mother or your pastor, would you change some of the things that you do? As long as we are on this earth, we will cast a shadow. Although our life span is short and brief, we as Christians, can have a huge impact on other people. You would be surprised about the people God allowed your path to cross and how your shadow gave a lasting impression for Christ. I hope that you are casting a good shadow.