by Kevin Wimbish, MS, LMFT
I was in my Sophomore Psychology class when the intercom called my brother and I to come to the office. Every time the beep of the speaker sounded I took a breath because of the looming cloud that was over us all. We had been walking with my mother through her cancer, pneumonia, collapsed lung.
I remember walking into the hospital room. She was unconscious and seemed to be unaware of our presence. Remnants of her birthday from two days prior lined the room. It wasn’t long before the pastor entered the room. “Hold on boys,” he said, as he left to get a nurse. And like that, she was gone.
Eleven years later my wife and I received a call about my father. “Your dad has fallen, and something is very wrong. He is being airlifted to the hospital…” Through multiple procedures they discovered his brain cancer. It wasn’t long before I watched a man who could work all day as a mason lifting 12 inch block, need help walking across the room.
Since then we have walked through the various pains that come from living this side of Heaven as the hair turns grey or non existent and Ibuprofen is a regular companion.
There are many shadows that will cast on us in this life. Much darkness. There is also much light. Sometimes the light comes into our minds when we realize from where the dark comes.
The Psalms give us insight into the shadows in which we are to live. We are not to live in shadows of fear and hopelessness, though I have been there many times. Maybe you have as well.
What if we started living in the realization of being in the shadows of The Lord’s wings? What if we realized there can be no shadow cast if there is not a light behind it all?
Consider the scriptures below.
“Keep me as the apple of the eye;
Hide me in the shadow of Your Wings…” (Psalm 17:8 New American Standard Bible)
“How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God!
And the children of men take refuge in the Shadow of Your wings.” (Psalm 36:7)
“For You have been my help,
And in the shadow of Your wings I sing for joy.” (Psalm 63:7)
“Be gracious to me, O God, be gracious to me,
For my soul takes refuge in You;
And in the shadow of Your wings I will take refuge
Until destruction passes by.” (Psalm 57:1 )
If a shadow is upon you today. Take heart. Reorient yourself. If you are a follower of Christ, don’t be afraid of the shadows. Even in the shadows of this world, we are covered. We are covered by the shadow of His wings.
This song has brought me much encouragement in the midst of shadows of life:
Shadows – David Crowder Band, featuring Lecrae
Kevin Wimbish, MS, LMFT
Co -owner of Summit Wellness Centers, PLLC
