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Living in the Shadow

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jan 21, 1915

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 92, No. 4.

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Living in the Shadow

MANY are living in the gloom of some great shadow. It may be the shadow of some sin which has marred the life, the shadow of a great sorrow which has bowed down the heart with grief, the shadow of a misunderstanding with friend or brother. Life has lost its sweetness; its joy has turned to bitterness, and the inspiration of hope has departed. To these sad and sorrowing ones the words of the apostle are directed: “This one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”
We must forget the past, with all its sins and sorrows, its griefs and heartaches and misunderstandings. “Go bury thy sorrow; the world hath its share.” We must forgive others the injuries they have wrought; we must apply this principle of forgiveness to ourselves in the mistakes we have made. This sin-sick world today needs words of life and cheer and courage. On every side are the worn and weary, the burdened and heavy-laden. Men and women are groping in the darkness without hope and without Christ. It is for us to act the part of light bearers, of life-givers. To Christ, the light of life, we must direct their gaze. But we cannot do this unless we ourselves know the power and joy of the redeemed life.
“This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: but if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.”
Let us come out of the shadow into the sunshine. Let us learn in the year to come to walk in the light of his countenance, in the consciousness of his presence, in the sweetness of his companion ship. “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace,” in the consciousness of divine acceptance and approval.