light and shadow

dear emily,

as  i watch the dark shadows steal across the valley, i'm tempted
to assign them a malignant motive.  their corresponding clouds
might 'rain on' my lupine trail hike.  on the other hand, they could
bring sweet relief from the penetrating sun.  

i can understand God as light but often struggle with the shadow
part.

do you remember baby jessica, the 18 month old who fell into
an eight inch well?  she spent two days in that dark shaft, while
the rest of the world watched in horror.  at one point her only
hope was from a man born without collar bones.  his question
"why was i born like this?" was answered by a baby girl.

were his frameless shoulders light or shadow?

many turn from their Creator, because they cannot reconcile
tragedy with His sovereignty or mercy.   why do bad things
happen to good people?  i certainly don't know, because i wasn't
there when He "laid the earth's foundation. . . while the morning
stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy." (job 38)

i cringe and cower at life's dark moments but have found that
questioning the Lord's motives to be futile.  that approach seems
childlike to philosophers and wise men, but from my baby eyes i
have seen and learned wondrous things.   the shadows are often
my place of refuge.  (psalm 91)

love,
lea