Shadow Land

Shadow Land

We live in a shadow land

Ruled by the Shadow King.

His biggest lie:

'I don't exist, and neither does the Lord of Light'

His minions are hidden,

but so are angels,

And so is the war around us.

Shadow scale curtains cover the eyes,

Blinding the proud to the truth.

Part of the truth we never admit

Occurs in the shadowed recesses

behind bolted heart doors closed tight.

The Light of the World is knocking.

His coming foreshadowed the long shadow of the cross across time.

Now, don't think I'm 'holier-than -thou'.

The shadows under my eyes

have seen all that I have looked at.

Some day that movie will be replayed.

All my secret glances will be repayed.

A shadow is simply darkness without the light.

I will walk in the light as He is in the light.

The shadows melt away like a drop of Joy in dishwater.

I look forward to the eternal uncloudy day.

Driving the vultures away.

My wife and I were doing devotions out of Genesis 14-15. As I read Gen. 15:11 "When the vultures came down...Abram drove them away." For some reason, it reminded me of old folk spirituals. I could almost hear the choir humming sweet and low. I sang in my head, "Abram drove them vultures away..." The verses became a little more poetic, but here it is:

Chorus

When old Abraham was young Abram

He got up and he went out,

and he drove them vultures away.

He had to fight all day,

and he fought all night,

and he drove them vultures away.

Abram drove them vultures away.

In the book of Genesis so, the story goes,

Abram was told to sacrifice some birds, a cow, a goat.

The vultures came swooping down to try to take them away

To disturb his worship and stop his prayer that day.

He rose up from from his knees and gave a mighty shout.

He pleased the Lord who lit his altar with a fire that would not go out.

chorus

The greedy king of Elam sent his army to the land.

He said, "Take everything you see load horses and wagons with what comes to hand."

They came swooping down laughing, yelling, and taking what they found.

Any man that stood up to them, they ganged up and beat him to the ground.

They took the goods and captured women and men like nephew Lot.

Uncle Abram and his fighting men to back what the scavengers had got.

chorus

Like Abram, I left the old land to try to find a better way.

I try to sacrifice my will and worship the Creator every day:

But, the Devil, that old vulture king wants to kill, steal and destroy.

He's got a sneaky bag of tricks to bring me shame and take my joy.

He swoops in with thoughts of doubt and fear to keep me in sin's quicksand.

I'll put on my armour, take up my shield, pull out the sword, and make my stand.

If I have to fight all day,

If I have to fight all night,

I'll drive those vultures away! 

A distinction of Mark.

   Shakespeare wrote in one play, "What's in a name?...I would deny my name.." In another play he wrote,

"Good name in man and woman, dear my lord,
Is the immediate jewel of their souls:
Who steals my purse steals trash; 'tis something, nothing;
'Twas mine, 'tis his, and has been slave to thousands;
But he that filches from me my good name
Robs me of that which not enriches him
And makes me poor indeed.
William Shakespeare, "Othello", Act 3 scene 3


The Bible says, "A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches," Proverbs 22:1. Often a name indicates ones destiny.

   I was named Mark Andrew. It means manly warrior. Yet more often than not, I have been a peacemaker who avoids conflict. I know my flaws, yet the bible says, "Mark the perfect man...his end is peace" Ps 37:37. What mark(difference) can I mark(observe) in my life? Like the title of this post, I want to take a phrase like 'a mark of distinction' and make it 'a distinction of Mark'.

Am I a German mark, currrency to be spent like God's pocket change?
Am I a good mark, passing the test or is there red pen marks all over me?
Am I setting healthy boundaries as I mark the territory laid out for me?
Am I a beauty mark as the face of God to man or just a hairy mole?
Am I a tread mark that leaves a distinct impression behind?
Am I a skid mark that has backslidden from refusing to go forward?
Am I closed and mysterious and bent like a question mark?
Am I open and free and enthusiastic like an exclamation mark?
Am I focused on the target, trying to hit the mark?

I don't know. I'll just have mark my words and see if I can figure it out.