shadow vs. applicant

Bill and I were riding our motorcycle late one afternoon.  We were riding south so the sun was to our right.  As we rode, our shadow followed us along on the left side. I watched this shadow for miles and it never changed.  It was a simple black silhouette, an outline of our shape.  From just looking at this shadow, you could not tell much about us.  You could tell that there were two riders on the motorcycle but you couldn’t distinguish any of our other features.  You couldn’t tell what color we were, what gender we were, what race we were, how old we were, or what our marital status was.  You couldn’t look at our shadow and determine our financial class or our education level.   In fact, had there been other riders, all of our shadows would have been very similar, varying only in size and shape.  The thought occurred to me that this must be how Jesus sees us.  In his eyes, we are all equal. Just as all of our physical faults were hidden by the shadow of the motorcycle riders, all of our sins and shortcomings are hidden by the shadow of the cross.


And then last Sunday, I listened to a preacher and he used filling out an application as an illustration for his sermon. When you fill out an application, you are asked to put yourself in various categories.  For instance, you have to choose your race, your sex, your marital status, your age, your income category, your level of education, etc.  You basically have to give a description of your physical body and perhaps even your socioeconomic background.  Someone will review your application and then a decision will be made as to whether or not you qualify for the desired position. Basically, you will only be chosen, if you have all the right qualifications.


As I compare these two totally different scenarios, I am so thankful that Jesus looks at us more as a shadow than an applicant.  He is not interested in our physical qualities or our social status.  We all look exactly the same to Him. We are all his children and we all qualify to become a Christian and spend eternity in Heaven with Him.  In reality, if he did have an application for us to fill out, it would only have one question on it.  You wouldn’t have to identify your race, your gender, or your age.  Actually, you wouldn’t have to give any of your personal information, you would simply have to answer this question, “Do you believe in and accept the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Savior?”  Yes or no?   Just as it says in John 6:40, “And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life, and I will raise him up at the last day. And again in John 3:15, Jesus said, “That whosoever believeth in him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”


So what will your answer be?  Can you say without a shadow of a doubt that you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and accept him as your personal Savior?  The choice is yours, just as George Strait says in his song, “Check yes or no.”


This is Nana Nancy, Let Jesus be YOUR Guide as you enjoy YOUR ride!