1 Chronicles 29:14-15
“But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from You, and we have given You only what comes from Your hand. We are aliens and strangers in Your sight, as were all our forefathers. Our days on earth are like a shadow, without hope.”
The second day of February! Ah yes—that day of the year when a groundhog crawls out of his den. Here is what Wikipedia says about the event: “Groundhog Day is a holiday celebrated in United States and Canada on February 2.
In weather lore, if a groundhog, also known as a woodchuck, or marmot emerges from its burrow on this day and fails to see its shadow because the weather is cloudy, winter will soon end. If on the other hand, it is sunny and the groundhog sees its shadow, the groundhog will supposedly retreat into its burrow, and winter will continue for 6 more weeks.”
Pardon me if I am skeptical about the ability of the shadow of a rodent in Pennsylvania to forecast the weather here in the State of Washington. As a matter of fact I seriously doubt the accuracy to predict the weather near his burrow.
Shadows are interesting. They are larger than reality yet they are not the real thing. In Psalm 23, when we read about the Lord being with us in the “valley of the shadow of death,” it is not the valley of death that produces the fear, but the shadow of death. Shadows will always magnify an object.
In today’s Scripture we are described as shadows. Not only that, we are called aliens and strangers. An apt description may be, shifting shadows that are here one minute and gone the next.
Once again I am reminded of the words of a spiritual song we used to sing: “This world is not my home, I’m just passing though. My treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue.”
At the beginning of the month of February, it is a good time to consider what is important in our life. Are we going to devote our efforts to the shifting shadows of this world, or are we going to lay up treasures in heaven?
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil