Well, it’s official! Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow on February 2nd, which supposedly means we have six more weeks of winter. But don’t despair. According to the people who track his accuracy, he’s only right about 38% of the time. So, take heart, cycling friends; you may be getting out on your bikes much sooner than you think!
Luckily, I was able to get my bike out during the first week of January when it was unusually mild in central Indiana. The sky was also very clear as the day faded, which meant that I was able to see my shadow stretching out quite far as I headed down a county road near my house (see photo). I didn’t make any weather predictions based on that fact, but it did get me thinking about shadows, especially how temporary they are. In fact, it reminded me of what the biblical character Bildad says in Job 8:8, “Our days on earth are but a shadow.”
It’s true, of course. Our lives here on earth arequite short when we look at the big picture. But maybe we need to stop looking at how temporary they are and instead start thinking about what kind of shadow we cast. Let me explain.
The Bible talks about several different ways in which shadows are used by people or the effects they have. For example, Psalm 11:2 says, “Look, the wicked bend their bows and set their arrows against the strings to shoot from the shadows at the upright in heart.” Not exactly an uplifting verse, huh?
But there are other verses in which shadows are pictured more positively, like Psalm 36:7, in which the author joyfully declares, “How priceless is your unfailing love, O God! People take refuge in the shadow of your wings.” And in Isaiah 32:1-2, the prophet foretells a time when “…rulers will rule with justice. Each one will be like… the shadow of a great rock in a thirsty land.”
Still, there’s one more that really challenges me. It’s found in Act 5:15 where we’re told that after Jesus’ resurrection and return to heaven, his disciple Peter was so filled with the Holy Spirit that, as a result, “…people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on mats so that at least Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by.”
So, let me just ask: What kind of shadow is your life casting? Is it one that hides evil and violence in its darkness? Or is it a loving shadow in which people can find refuge and healing? You might want to think about that the next time you’re out on your bike. Or maybe you could pray right now.
Loving God, your shadow is a blessed place to be, a place of shelter, healing, and hope. Help me to cast such a shadow during my short time here on this earth. Oh, and please let Spring come before six weeks! Amen
Dave Marty is a retired pastor who lives with his wife, Mary, in Brownsburg, Indiana. They have two beautiful daughters, two great sons-in-law, and two creative teenage grandchildren. In addition to cycling (including unicycling), Dave also enjoys gardening, Scrabble, hosting Holy Land tours with Mary, and tutoring kindergarteners at a nearby school