Light And Shadows

I drank too much iced tea yesterday, so I had a hard time sleeping last night. The older I get the more things seem to bother my sleep patterns. =) I was laying there in bed and thinking and praying and planning and doing lots of things besides sleeping. I noticed the light coming through the crack in the door. We keep a light on in the kitchen. I was trying to figure out what was making the weird edges on the shadows I saw. It is amazing how skewered something can be shaped like in a shadow. Since the door was only open a crack, the shadows were long thin ones.
Then I just got to thinking about shadows and light. There are only shadows when something blocks the light. And by blocking the light, it leaves a dark place. It made me think of "The Light", Jesus. I know that there are still dark corners in me that need to be cleaned out. What is allowing there to be a shadow in those corners? Something is blocking the light there. I believe it is sin. Sometime that sin is one of commission. Something I do or say. I know that all of my sins are forgiven, but I still need to confess and renew my relationship with the Lord. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9

Here is what I have been hearing from the Lord. I need to spend my time and energy in getting closer to Him. I need to spend that quality time not only praying to Him, but listening as well. My Uncle Noel who just died this past Monday, was known for getting up at 4:30 every morning to spend time in prayer. It showed in his life and in his walk. The more we embrace The Light and get closer to Him, the fewer the shadows in us. I was reading in the Daily Bread this morning. The title was Are We Listening? Here is a portion of what it said.

I have heard people say, “If only God would talk to me! If He would just tell me what to do, I would do it.” The simple fact is that God has already spoken to us through His Word, the Bible. Do we listen to Him as He speaks? The psalmist desired to obey God’s Word “continually, forever and ever” (119:44). And James warned about ignoring it when he said, “Be doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves” (James 1:22).

And this was in the Daily Bread yesterday...

When Elijah stood before the Lord on Mount Horeb, he didn’t meet Him in the wind, earthquake, or fire. Rather, God spoke in a “still small voice” (1 Kings 19:11-12).
I’m more convinced than ever that God finds ways to communicate to those who truly seek Him—especially when we lower the volume of the surrounding static.

Are we too busy to listen? Do you always have to have music on, or background noise? Are we so distracted with what needs to be done and who we need to contact and all the details of life that we can't take the time to sit and listen for Him?

Have you ever met a new person somewhere and you spend some time talking to one another. Then you talk on the phone a couple of times. Pretty soon, when you pick up the phone and hear their voice, you KNOW who it is by their voice. Do you KNOW God's voice when He speaks to you? There are times I have heard His voice. Usually if I know I am hearing Him, I am obedient. However, there are still times that I do not want to obey. I was having trouble getting up on time. I told God one night that if He would wake me up, I would get up and out of the bed. The next morning a minute or so before the alarm went off, He nudged me awake and I heard Him... not audibly, but in my heart I heard Him remind me of what I said. I was able to get up out of bed and get my day started right. However, there are mornings where He nudges me awake and I look at that clock and the excuses start in my brain.... I did not sleep well, we got to bed late, I have a headache and feel overly tired, there is really nothing that has to be done this early.... He does not turn the bed over and dump me out. He leaves me to my own way. But, I MISSED a blessing. I MISSED a time shared with Him that morning. My day does not flow as smoothly, my nerves tend to be more irritable, and I have allowed a shadow to be formed. Usually when I do get up on those days, I don't have time for a relaxed time in the Word. I believe then that I have committed a sin of omission. Many times to me these can be the worst. They are not as clearly seen and can catch you unaware.

I have often compared the Christian walk with a cordless screwdriver. Yes, I know I am weird. =) If those batteries are not charged up regularly, it is not an effective tool anymore. How many Christians (especially in America) go to church, pray over meals or if something goes wrong, but don't take the time daily to charge their batteries. They go to church to be spoon fed, but don't ever feast on the Word themselves. Their lives are full of shadows. May we as Christians take the time to do what is needed - spend time daily with our Lord, memorize scripture and put it into practice, use the talents He gave us to further His work - so that His light shines out brightly through us without the shadows.