It was a crisp, cool morning in the Rockies, perfect for a walk. I always take my phone with me in case there’s anything I want to photograph. (That is the only reason I’d bring my phone, as there’s no cell service outside of the house.) I was almost back home when I realized I hadn’t taken any photos. I hadn’t seen any wildlife, and the wild flowers have mostly gone dormant. “I guess there was nothing photo worthy,” I thought to myself. What? Nothing photo worthy? I stopped right there and looked around. The sky was bright blue with a few fluffy clouds. The ponderosa pines looked deep green in the
foreground and the aspens were turning yellow and dropping their leaves. The ground beneath my feet was solid. It’s not dirt, but rather a coarse granite that, when you pick up a nugget, is a myriad of colors.

And my shadow — if I can see my shadow there must be light shining on me from some angle. At that moment I knew it was God’s light shining on me, and my body was casting the shadow. Often, when I hear the word “shadow,” I think of it in a negative way. And indeed, a shadow is an absence of light. Psalm 23: 4 comes to mind: Even 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.

Even in the shadow of death, the Light is with me. Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12).

Many times in my life, indeed in one short day of my life, shadows fall across my path. Troubles and darkness can only prevail if I turn away from the Light, if I run from the One who cares enough to walk with me. Let me always, by the grace of God, run to my Savior. Let me hide in the shadow of the cross, remembering what Jesus has done for me. When I saw my shadow, I stretched out my arms and my shadow formed a cross. He suffered because of me, for my sins. What immeasurable love is this?

And to think, I almost didn’t take time for a walk that morning. Too much to do. Oh, my Lord and my God, thank You for giving me this time in Your kingdom to feel Your peace and find Your promises working in my life! I took a photo of my shadow as I felt the sunlight on my back..

Today, and always, we are surrounded by HIS grace,
Debbie