That spider was huge! My
husband and I sat in the car and watched as this gargantuan-looking
creature built its web outside our garage. Normally, I would be
horrified. Spiders and I are not on speaking terms...screaming
terms, but definitely not speaking terms. This night, however, I
wasn't concerned.
First of all, we were in
the car. It wasn't like this giant creature could penetrate the
windshield of our vehicle to reach its mortified occupant. Secondly,
I was with my husband. Surely, he would take care of me...jumping in
harm's way to protect me from that creepy, eight-legged,
horrifyingly-ugly thing...surely. Lastly, I wasn't concerned,
because the spider's size was a little more than exaggerated. You
see, we were seeing just an enlarged shadow of a rather normal-sized
creature. He was building a web directly in front of our garage
light, so the shadow being cast on the garage was daunting, but
nothing of which to be afraid.
Merriam
Webster gives us this definition of the
word “shadow”: An
area of darkness created when a source of light is blocked. So
really, there's nothing to be afraid of with a shadow. It might look
scary and mysterious, but it's simply an area of darkness, nothing
more.
With my curiosity peeked
about this word, I Googled “shadows in the Bible.” I was
surprised at what I found. There were 52 references – 52! One of
which, I am sure, you have heard many times. It might even be that
you haven't just heard it, you fear it. It's the Shadow of Death.
Sounds horrifying, doesn't
it? Sounds like something big and daunting, hanging over our heads
waiting for just the right moment to jump onto the windshield of our
lives and break through. It's something that we can try and try to
escape, but one day, it will find us all.
Yet, it's just a shadow.
Did you get that? The thing we all usually fear the most as humans,
is just a shadow...that is, for Believers. If you do not know Jesus,
then you have every right to be fearful. For you, death is not a
shadow, but a terrifying journey of torture and “lastingness.”
It will be something that you will never escape. Fear and pain will
be your friends and your companions...forever.
If that is your position,
I pray that you will do as Romans 10:9 says: “Confess with your
mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe with all your heart that God has
raised Him from the dead and you will be saved.”
Now, that doesn't mean
that you just utter those words and pray some prayer of simplicity
for your salvation. It means that you confess that you are an enemy
of God. Romans 5:10 says, “For
if, while we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to Him through
the death of His Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we
be saved through his life!” You can't have friendship with God –
reconciliation – apart from Jesus, His Son.
Next,
you confess that Jesus is the ultimate
Authority over your life – the One who knows what is best, and the
One whose life you choose to follow and emulate. You believe, truly
believe, that God resurrected Him. You believe that Christ's life
and death and life again are a reality. The Bible says that if you
believe that - with ALL your heart - then, death will be your friend,
not your enemy. You WILL be saved. If you want to know more about
this relationship with Jesus, please let us know. We'd love to walk
with you through this journey.
And the Good News for
those of us who DO believe? Well, as I said, death is merely a
shadow. It may be big. It may be terrifying. It may be dark, but
it can't hurt you. You will pass through it, only to find that it
wasn't some big, scary monster. Instead, it was a beautiful path
that brought you to a place of the greatest comfort and joy – a
place more spectacular than you could ever imagine.
The
Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.
He
makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters.
He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness for
His name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the
shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and
Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the
presence of my enemies; You have anointed my head with oil; My cup
overflows. Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the
days of my life, And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Psalm 23
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