Seeing His Shadow

"February 1st...Tomorrow is Groundhog Day," I remarked to my husband as we drove home after picking up 5-year-old Beth from Pre-K.

"How did YOU know?" came a small voice from the back seat. I looked around to see our foster grandaughter admiring a large, construction paper groundhog mask she had pulled from her bookbag, obviously an art project that day. After all, she had only just learned about it, so how could we know of such a holiday?

Kids. They have it all to learn. And I'm sure the story piques interest in young students to think of a groundhog seeing its shadow and going back into its hole (or not) for six more weeks of winter hibernation (or not). After all, we all want Spring to come after the cold of winter, however mild it may have been this year.

Shadows themselves are a source of wonder for children, fascinating and mysterious as they are. I read once of a small child out for a walk with his father. The little boy wanted to venture ahead and was given permission, as long as he stayed within his father's shadow, lengthening in the late afternoon sunlight. He obeyed, and felt safe in the outline of the familiar silhouette, knowing his father was near.

The Bible speaks of shadows as types of a spiritual reality, as in Hebrews 8:5, they "...serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things," and in Hebrews 10:1, "For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things,". Colossians 2:16 says (religious observances)"are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ." Hebrews 9:23 speaks of "patterns of things in the heavens."

We often hear songs and references about "in the shadow of the cross." The Bible teaches that Jesus Christ was slain before the foundation of the world, so the shadow of the cross rests over creation. When the sun is overhead, there can be no shadow. When Jesus is foremost in our lives, the Son is overhead, and we are in the light where there is no shadow to fear.