God in the Dark

I am thinking more about light and shadows. An old verse resurrects itself in my mind and I shudder. “Even though I walk through the valley of the SHADOW of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me.”  God is in the shadows?  I know it is true; I have felt Him there.  But how can the One who IS light also exist in the darkness?  Does He cover His glory?  Hide Himself?  Cloak Himself – His Light – in shadows so we both experience His Presence and the necessary darkness of this world at once?

I do think the darkness is necessary. Shadows serve their purpose. Like flowers that scorch in unshaded sunlight, we begin to spiritually shrivel in a life of untried ease. We forget to drink the Living Water and without noticing, we dry out and burn up. The Old Testament is filled with kings who got fat, happy, and prosperous – and therefore forgot the Lord.

Is God cupping His Almighty Hand over us right now to create protective darkness? Darkness that causes us to cry out and grapple in the night for Him? Is He ensuring that we do not forget Him, our only source of true joy and life and LIGHT?

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” James 1:2-4