Rivers of Shadows

Flying this morning early over mountain ranges—at one point the glories of Mt. Adams, Mt. Hood, Mt. St. Helens, and Mt. Rainier were all gathered together in one panorama of unspeakable beauty in the morning sunrise, with layers upon layers of amethyst ranges gathered into the distant horizon—I was struck most by the rivers of shadows.  There lay one side of sun-touched trees or brilliant snow, bound on its other half by darkness, no form or seeming substance, weaving bold lines of demarcation yet one piece of a thing still.  Not unlike our lives, it seemed to me, as we experience the shadowed side of the mountain yet with the Rock underneath us and the Light shining on the other side.  The intricacies are lost in the darkness and we do not see the pattern, nor do we know when the sun crosses over, but this we know—the sun, it always crosses over, and sooner or later the other side is always illuminated.  The sun never fails to shine on the mountain side that has been in the dark and shapeless shadows. 

Truth is, wherever light falls, there is shadow.  It signifies the very presence of light; and for us as believers it signifies the very Presence of Light, in which here on this earth inevitable shadows exist as part of the landscape.  The beauty is not lessened but ethereally enhanced, defined, the contours of our life given shape and richness of tone.

What are we to see when there is nothing to see in the dark?  Yes, His very great and precious promises.

“Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises.”  2 Peter 1:4

"When a shipwright builds a vessel, does he build it to keep it upon the stocks?  Nay, he builds it for the sea and the storm.  When he was making it, he thought of tempests and hurricanes; if he did not, he was a poor shipbuilder.

"When God made thee a believer, he meant to try thee; and when He gave thee promises and bade thee trust them, He gave such promises as are suitable for times of tempest and tossing.  Dost thou think that God makes shams like some that have made belts for swimming, which were good to exhibit in a shop, but of no use in the sea?

"We have all heard of swords that were useless in war; and even of shoes which were made to sell but were never meant to walk in.  God’s shoes are made of iron and brass, and you can walk to Heaven in them without their ever wearing out; and His lifebelts, you may swim a thousand Atlantics upon them, and there will be no fear of your sinking.  His word of promise is meant to be tried and proved.

"…Covenant blessings are not meant to be looked at only, but to be appropriated.  Even our Lord Jesus is given to us for our present use.  Thou dost not make use of Christ as thou oughtest to do.

"O man, I beseech you do not treat God’s promises as if they were curiosities for a museum; but use them as everyday sources of comfort.  Trust the Lord whenever your time of need comes on."

–C.H.Spurgeon