Pick Your Shadow
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| Sending this Rise & Shine for Jesus from a missions house in Cincinnati, Ohio |
RISE AND SHINE FOR JESUS!
Pick Your Shadow
Pick Your Shadow
By Pam Iannello (my late mother)
Psalm 23:4 (KJV)
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will
fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
“I’m afraid I have some bad news – you have breast cancer and it’s
aggressive.”
Those were the words I heard from
my doctor on October 31st, 2006 after a series of tests culminated by
a surgical biopsy. Instantly my life and my future were cut to the core with
the precision of truth. A distinct shadow in the shape of disease had been cast
that was not there before… A shadow is a dark image of an object created when
the object interrupts rays of light. Do you remember having stood under a
shadow, dear lady? I feel certain we’ve all had rays of light broken up by a
particular object during the course of our lives… Some shadows are cast upon us
by the things that bypass us or that we pass by. And some shadows are
personally selected for our comfort, such as the sweet, cool shade of a verdant
tree on a scorching summer day. In my case, both types of shadowing occurred.
Yes, the news of breast cancer did slip over my life and interrupt the rays of
light and happiness that I had been enjoying and I had a sobering, spiritual
decision to make. I could hang out under that sinister silhouette or move
myself to a more comforting position. And that is precisely what I did…
Psalm 36:7 (KJV)
How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of
men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings.
Psalm 91:1 (KJV)
He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under
the shadow of the Almighty.
Psalm 121:5 (KJV)
The Lord is thy keeper: the Lord is thy shade upon thy right
hand.
Song 2:3 (KJV)
As the apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among
the sons. I sat down under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit
was sweet to my taste.
Isaiah 25:4 (KJV)
For thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the
needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat,
when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall.
Yes, every one of us walks
through the valley of the shadow of
death… From time to time, the joys and happiness of life are going to be
interrupted with things that overwhelm us with grief and distress, sickness,
sorrow, and pain. And it can be the most dismal of valleys, but thanks to the
companionship of the Lord we need not dread these overcast times or live under
our cheerless circumstances! Where are
you standing today, dear lady? We can move ourselves out from under the
weight and influence of our trials and under the shadow of His wings. And
in so doing, I have been refreshed by the fact that my heavenly Father accompanies
me and guides me, no matter where His path may take me, whether it is nearer
the object of death or not. Ladies, our friends and family can only go so far
with us in our trials… And then there is a point where we must walk alone with
the Lord. Are you able to do that? You will find, as many others have, that God’s
presence dispels all fear and leads you safely through the darkest hours and
seasons of life.
His Word is an unsurpassed source
of comfort and confidence! And so, no matter what size or shape your trial may
be, life’s shadows cannot interrupt the light of God’s Spirit and grace shining
within a trusting saint!
A child of God has the power to pick his own shadow. Why not change
yours into the image and likeness of Jesus Christ? Just as our shadow changes
as the sun moves into a different position, so too, will our witness change as
God moves into a different position in our lives. The higher He is esteemed,
the smaller our (shadows) trials will appear. The less God is esteemed, the
bigger our (shadows) trials will look. If you are a child of the King, don’t
let the nature of your trial throw a warped profile on your heavenly Father! And
if you are not, there is no time like a hard time to seek God’s face for the
salvation of your soul. Abide under the shadow of the Almighty… Let your relationship with the Lord change
the silhouette of your trial into the glory of God.
God Bless,
Pam
Isaiah 60:1&2
Copyright 2006 Pamela A. Iannello
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