WordWays: Singing in the Shadow

Some mountains have not just one but two peaks; we find that where there is light there is also shadow; and sometimes we receive a miraculous answer to one impossible situation, only to realize that there is still another part of it left to solve.

The Bible tells us the story of how the Israelites were in just such a predicament. You probably remember this saga. The Israelite people, led by Moses, witnessed God orchestrating their amazing and supernatural release from their long years of brutal captivity in Egypt, only to discover that the Red Sea blocked their path and violent Egyptian soldiers were quickly closing in behind them. So what did God do? He miraculously parted the waters and they walked through to safety, then He crashed the walls of water closed to wash away their enemy and ensure their freedom. You would think they would never doubt God again after experiencing such spectacular rescues!

And then they continued to journey toward the land that God had promised to give them and found every need provided for – manna literally falling from heaven each morning for them to eat, water cascading out of a rock to slake their thirst, and even quail were patiently provided when they complained about being tired of the manna. God proved Himself over and over that He was faithful to His promises. He could be counted on to come through. And yet….

The weary travelers finally arrived at the very brink of the land of Canaan, the land God had promised that He would give them as their new home. But they sent a scouting expedition over to explore and bring back a report, and when most of the scouts returned downcast with a spirit of fearfulness and negativity, and announced that “there are giants there,” again the Israelites doubted God’s power and ability to provide what He had promised.

You know, I have heard and read that story my whole life and my reaction has almost always been, “Man, WHAT was the matter with those Israelite people? HOW could they see with their own eyes that God over and over was taking care of them and providing absolutely spectacular miracles for them, and yet whenever there was another obstacle, they doubted all over again!”

I hate to admit it, but now I can understand them in a way, and I even see myself succumbing to a similar dilemma. Sometimes we experience God answering prayer and opening doors, providing, solving, repairing, healing, and we are so grateful and we praise Him with our whole heart. But then another predicament presents itself and if we are not careful to recall His past works, not only in the Bible times but especially in our own life, we can be like those Israelites and feel fears and doubts all over again.

So what is the solution? To remember!

I will remember the deeds of the LORD, yes I will remember your miracles of long ago. I will meditate on all Your works and consider all Your mighty deeds. Your ways, O God, are holy. What god is so great as our God? You are the God who performs miracles. You display your power among the peoples.

~ Psalm 77:11-14

Instead of focusing on our new problem, if we will turn and look toward God, remembering all the ways He has rescued us in the past, we will see that He is Light and the shadow of our difficulty will fall behind us.

You are my lamp, O LORD. You turn my darkness into light.

~ 2 Samuel 22:29

Who among you fears the LORD and obeys the word of His servant? Let him who walks in the dark, who has no light, trust in the name of the LORD and rely on his God.

~ Isaiah 50:10

Jesus said, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.’ ~ John 8:12

So 2011 has been the year of spectacular crises in my personal life with also mind-blowing rescues and miraculous provisions from God each and every time. In January I fell down the stairs at my home, broke my collarbone and smashed my head, only to emerge with a remarkable and amazing recovery. God is the Great Protector and Healer. Just a few weeks later, in March, I lost my job and plunged into four months of floundering and searching, only to wake up on July 6^th with a clear and unmistakably divine solution: “Don’t get another job, get your Master’s degree in Counseling.” So only three weeks later I was accepted into St. Edward’s University AND Seminary of the Southwest. God is the Great Guide and Door-Opener.

Even so. Enter the “Israelite Syndrome." I can recount these specific incidences in my life where God the Father has DIRECTLY ministered to me, answered prayer, provided for me in supernatural ways, and I am humbled, grateful and deeply moved by His mercy and generosity to me. And yet…..the shadow. There is still an unsolved chapter. I have taken this leap of faith to enroll in the Seminary and have felt the thrill of joy and anticipation……right up until I remember that somehow we have to PAY for this privilege. The financial obligations are looming now like those giants in the Promised Land. I SO much want to have faith that the money will come in somehow, some way, that God will provide, but it is ANOTHER one of those situations that just looks IMPOSSIBLE. The money is not there. The numbers don’t add up. So here I am, back in the shadow of yet another lesson of faith – of waiting, trusting, trying to have hope that AGAIN God will come through. The Seminary awarded me with an incredibly generous tuition grant and now God is asking me to trust Him that He will provide the rest.

Of those Israelite scouts that brought back the reports about Canaan – there were TWO, Joshua and Caleb, who came back saying, “Yes, the enemies in this land are big, but we have the God of the Universe on our side and we can DO this!” And guess what – THEY are the only ones who got to cross over into the land in the end. Because they believed!

So when we are looking at a problem and it seems like “there are giants in the land,” or we can’t see the end of the road, and the storm clouds cast shadows over our path, what do we need to do?

Sing!

Because You are my help, I sing in the shadow of Your wings.

~ Psalm 63:7

My husband Gary and I sing in our praise team at our church and when I get to rehearsal on Wednesday night sometimes my mood is down or burdened, or I feel battle-scarred by the demands of the day. Yet, it only takes one or two songs and just the mere act of singing praises to God, even when I don’t feel like it, washes over me like a gentle shower and fills me with a renewed hope, a refreshing touch of His Spirit, healing, comforting, strengthening me. The problems out there didn’t change during our rehearsal, but my heart did.

We need to lighten our hearts and trust Him to come through – just as He always has before. We need to sing in the shadow! And guess what – sometimes the shadow is made not because of storm clouds but because God Himself is protecting us, shielding us, and His wings are what has created the shadow around us.