Cleaning Shadows

Recently I was spring cleaning my office and set about wiping down all my bookshelves. With everything removed from the shelves I set about dusting and cleaning. I then discovered a stubborn area in the corner of a shelf that did not become clean regardless of how many times I wiped it, or how hard I scrubbed. I was determined to not leave some hidden area of dirt on an otherwise clean shelf, so I persevered. It was only when I discovered that what appeared to be dirt was in fact a shadow, that I laughed and decided that the shelf was indeed clean.

It was later that it struck me that many Christians are trying to clean shadows. They have been made righteous and clean by the blood of Christ, yet they see corners that appear unclean. They are however, simply aspects of life that have been overshadowed by past experiences and hurtful memories. Such things, though real, do not make us unclean. We can waste time and effort trying to remove the stain of what is simply a shadow. All we need to do is allow the light of His presence to shine on that area and we will see that there is no dirt to remove. All has been washed away by a God of grace. He is the One who removes our sin and cleans our shadows, with the abundance of His mercy.