May 27, 2019

365 Days of the Great Names of God, Day 178: His Name Is Our Hope in the Shadows


His Name Is Our Hope In The Shadows

"In his name the nations will put their hope.” (Matthew 12:21 NIV)

I love to see God take what's bad and use it for good. This is God in His role as Redeemer, when He buys what is imprisoned out of captivity and frees it for His purposes.

The aspect of God's name we're visiting on our sidetrip today paints shadows in dark and suspicious hues, and James 1:17 echoes this: "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows."

But once redeemed by God, shadows become places of safety and refuge: "Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings" (Psalm 63:7 (NIV)).

God doesn't just offer an alternative to the shadow; He buys it out of darkness and brings it into the light of His name's hope.

Shadows shift, but hope in the Rock is steady.
Shadows hide, but hope in the Sun reveals.
Shadows distort, but hope in the Truth clarifies.
Shadows trick, but hope in the Guide leads.


Oh, God, Your name is our hope in the shadows. Help me to make it known.

"You're my hope, in the shadows,
My strength, in the battle,
My anchor, for all my days."

(From "Worthy Of Your Name;" Passion; songwriters Brenton Brown, Sean Curran, Brett Younker; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fcedMbopknM.)

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I'd love to hear from you! Feel free to tell me what you really think. Years ago, I explained to my then-two-year-old that my appointment with a counselor was "sort of like going to a doctor who will help me be a better mommy." Without blinking, she replied, "You'd better go every day." All of which is just to say I've spent some time in the school of brutal honesty!