So many things take the colour out of life and leave things grey and despondent. Under these clouds and shadows, the wrong response is to distract ourselves with shiny toys and the glittering baubles which the world dangles in front of us. The Christian response is to recognise the clouds for what they are, whether earthly limitations or sinful interruptions, and find hope in how Jesus is going to scatter them eventually. The young field preacher James Renwick, who laboured intensely and suffered greatly for his work for the Lord, and was eventually executed in the Grassmarket, preached a sermon on the church’s longing for Jesus to come, expressed in the Song of Solomon, “Until the day break, and the shadows flee away …” (Song 2:17). In the following updated extract, Renwick lists eight things that depress believers and obscure their view of the Lord Jesus, and explains for each how He will chase them away while for the time being we persevere in faith and obedience.

Though there are many shadows now between Christ and believers, yet there is a day coming when these shadows will flee away. We are still “in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts” (2 Pet. 1:19).

To open this a little to you, I shall show you some shadows that are now betwixt Christ and believers, which at that day shall be taken away.

Infirmities

The first shadow is the shadow of the believer’s infirmities. O friends! This is a dark cloud betwixt Christ and believers, which hides His countenance, and makes many a sad day and night to poor believers while here.

But at that day, there shall be a pleasant change, for then believers shall be freed from all their manifold infirmities, and be perfected for ever. Then there shall be no sinning any more. Then shall this mortal put on immortality, and corruption shall put on incorruption — then shall all be changed!

Suspicious thoughts about Jesus

The second shadow that overshadows the believer while here, and which will be taken away at that day, is the shadow of jealousy. Here we are often very jealous of Christ, for oft-times we cannot see Him acting, or perceive things as they are. We become so suspicious of the love of Christ, even though it is unspotted and unchangeable, that we often think He doesn’t love us, and therefore we will not bestow our love on Him.

But don’t be like this! For that day that is coming, even the day of accounts, which will take away all your suspicious thoughts about Christ’s love, and you shall then see that he has had love, and heart-love too! In that day there shall be no place left for doubting.

Little sense of God’s presence

The third shadow that over-clouds the believer is the dark shadow of deadness and desertion which sin has drawn down on believers. How many a sad complaint the poor believer is forced to make by this dark cloud, when the Lord withdraws His countenance, and lets the poor thing sink beneath the stream!

Yet be encouraged, for it is oft-times the lot of the Lord’s people to find themselves crying out, “O, He has withdrawn! He is gone! He is gone, and we don’t know where to find him!”

But at that day it will be turned over to another tune. “O, He is present, He is here!” And so that dark day, or cloud of desertion, will be utterly dispelled, and you shall see Him face to face, and see Him as He is.

Being incapable of having a better relationship with Christ

The fourth shadow that overclouds the believer while here is the dark shadow of incapacity to receive Christ, or to entertain Him. O! do you not perceive this, even much of this, in yourselves? O! how feeble, how lazy, how carnal and coldly indifferent you are in commanded duties! Is not His service oft-times a weariness to you? Is not it a burden to you? even as it were intolerable to you to bear!

But at that day, all fainting shall be done away with, and all discomposure of spirit, and it will become your pleasant labour always to be taken up in the endless work of praising and wondering for evermore, and that without wavering.

Being unable to get to Christ directly

The fifth shadow that comes over the believer while here is the shadow of ordinances.

The ordinances themselves are means in Christ’s hand, and do not hide Him from the believer, but rather give a representation of Him. Yet it is only a small and dark glance that they give of Him (1 Cor. 13:12). In the ordinances we do see Him, but only as in a glass darkly, or behind the wall, or through the lattice unclearly.

But, O believers! at that day, that cloud of ordinances shall be removed away, and you shall enjoy the immediate presence of Christ — even lovely Christ, without this shadow!

Indeed it is very comforting to poor things to get a sight of Him in ordinances. O! what joy some of His people have found in His manifesting of Himself in the gospel! Sometimes they have been made to cry out at the ordinances, “Lord, hold Thy hand, for we are only poor clay vessels, and can hold no more!”

But yet, how far below the eternal enjoyment of Him is this enjoyment which is had in ordinances! O friends! Words fail to speak of this eternal happy condition!

Being unable to see Christ directly

The sixth shadow that is now upon believers is the shadow of faith. Again, faith itself is not a shadow, or something which mars or hinders the believer’s enjoyment. Yet that noble grace is not without a shadow, for in the last day, faith shall dissolve into sight.

For even at our best it is only a dark sight that we get of Him here by faith. “We know but in part, we see but in part;” but when that which is perfect is come, then “that which is in part shall be done away, and then we shall see him as he is.”

Having to make do with lesser things than glory

The seventh shadow that must be taken away is the shadow of “sensible presence,” which we seek so much after. Being able to sense the presence of Christ is very joyful to believers, but O! it is only an obscure sight of Him here, in respect of that which shall be to eternity! It is like the night beside the day, which is why I include it in among the shadows which will be taken away.

But O, that eternal enjoyment of Christ! That pleasant inheritance is preferable to present enjoyment. When Peter was in the presence of the transfigured Christ, he only wanted to enjoy more of it! (His response was mistaken to the extent that he would have been content to quit his public post, and public spirit, and so to have been hidden from the church as far as her public edification went, for the sake of enjoying Christ’s sensible presence on that mountain.) Yet even that manifestation was only a shadow, in respect of the glory which shall be revealed at the last day.

Having the last enemy ahead

The eighth shadow that overclouds believers is the shadow of natural death. They must all die, or be changed, and then death shall be swallowed up of life. We have many symptoms of death, by sickness and diseases, that draw clouds between Christ and us.

But these shall all vanish in that day, when we shall have victory over death. Death is the last enemy, or the last fighting adversary, that the believer has to encounter, but at that day it shall be taken away, and they shall be made to cry out, “O death! where is thy sting? O grave! where is thy victory?”

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