Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Chasing the Right Shadows


“I turn to wisdom not my own for every battle You have known. My confidence will rest in You; Your love endures; Your ways are good. When I am weary with the cost, I see the triumph of the cross; So in its shadow I shall run Till He completes the work begun.”~from “When Trials Come” by Keith and Kristyn Getty

 
I think one of the first lessons we often learn or should learn I should say is the lesson on leaning not on our own understanding. Especially during the times of battles and struggles we face in life. I don’t know about you but the page in my Bible that houses the scripture Proverbs 3:5 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding” is worn out. The page is. Not the verse. It’s a touch of wisdom from the past that is still good for my future.

If you think about it, it’s a great accomplishment when we come to the point where we realize that our confidence rests in God. It’s His love that endures forever. It’s His ways that are good. It’s Him that paid the ultimate cost in order for us to see the triumph of the cross.

No matter what we do in life as Christians it needs to lead us back to the foot of the cross. That is where the victory is. It is there that Christ has given us the ability to set aside ourselves and move forward until He does complete the work He has begun in us.

It’s important for us to realize that the author and perfector of our faith is not like us. When He starts something He will complete it. How we travel with Him in the journey is up to us. Are we going to fight Him all the way or trust Him till He’s done? Are we going to complain and grumble on our desert journey or are we going to praise and worship Him on our knees.

Perhaps we should stop and take a look once in awhile to see which direction we are running. Are we running away from God or to Him? We are the ones who get to choose.
I love the scriptures in Psalms that talk about the shadow of God’s wings. Praise the Lord it’s in that shadow that we find a place of protection, rest, strength, and guidance for our souls.

Instead of being afraid of shadows unknown or seeking the shadow of other people to walk in or chase after our own we need to run to the shadow of God’s wings. The best place to go to sit and wait for the completion process of our lives to be done. The right shadow that once revealed shows us a wonder far greater than our hearts can imagine. A place not of fear but of joy, Praise the Lord for the Right shadow.


© 2010 Karen J. Gillett @ Pencil Marks and Recipes Publishing

4 comments:

Jennifer said...

So true about running to the shadow of His wings. What a beautiful reminder! Thanks for participating today!

Anonymous said...

You are so right. God's shadows are places of refuge, not places of fear and shame. There is no fear in the shadow of the cross for those who believe.

Denise J. Hughes said...

"Praise the Lord it’s in that shadow that we find a place of protection, rest, strength, and guidance for our souls."

This gives me a lot to think about. The shadow. As a red head, I'm ALWAYS looking for shade - lest I burn. I should start looking for "spiritual shade" as well as physical shade - look to the cross.

Tami said...

Victory is, indeed, at the foot of the cross. I pray God helps me understand how to apply this truth in a practical sense.

I like what Denise had to say about looking for "spiritual shade" too. He provides rest if we only go sit in it.
Sigh.