yes, it’s true  – the truce I had been enjoying with technology came to an abrupt end recently, leaving me confused and fearful of what she might do next.  As you know, dear readers, technology and I have often been at odds and I have written about our battles in past posts.  But lately, I have erroneously believed that we had made peace, when in truth technology was just lulling me into complacency, waiting for me to let my guard down, so that she could make her move.

And what a move she made!  Technology unexpectedly ambushed me in the worst possible way – she hit me where she knew it would hurt the most – my blog site simply disappeared from my old desktop, which is where I do all the writing of these posts.  I wanted to blame WordPress, because I think they must have updated something.  But my older  (very older) version of Windows could no longer keep up and so my blog site just vanished from my computer without so much as a warning or even a fond farewell.

Technology shattered our peaceful co-existence with this unexpected ambush, which of course is redundant, because an ambush by definition is unexpected.  Nonetheless, I was blindsided, completely caught off guard.  I am still reeling and technology is pressing her advantage, fighting me at every turn.  If I succeed in writing and posting this post, it will be a major victory for me and a step in reclaiming what technology is attempting to take from me – my ability to communicate with you, dear readers.

So I am currently walking through the valley of the shadow of technology filled with fear born of uncertainty as to the outcome of this contest between us.  But then I call to mind a different valley, a much darker valley mentioned in Psalm 23:4, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.”

I know there are many valleys much darker than the valley of the shadow of technology.  I have walked through some of them and will yet find myself walking through more of them.  They can get pretty dark.  The valleys of the shadows of loneliness, of illness, of despair, of loss, of pain, of fear;  these can be dark and deep valleys indeed.  But there is a Light that shines in my darkness and the darkness cannot extinguish it.

According to Psalm 23:4, the Lord, who is my Shepherd, is with me in the valley.  His rod and staff provide me comfort.  The shepherd used his rod to fight off wild animals and his staff to direct the flock.  That’s both protection and direction the Lord gives me as He walks with me through the valley.  Then there’s something else.

James 1:17 describes God as, “the Father of the heavenly lights, in whom there is no shadow of turning.”  Not only is the One who walks with me in my dark valley the Creator and Sustainer of all light but there is no darkness in Him, no shadow at all.  After all, that’s what shadow is, darkness.  Technology may be attempting to cast her shadow of hindrance and set back over me, but He who is the light of the world is greater than any shadow technology can cast.

Besides, when technology’s shadow is finally eliminated, when she finally takes off her mask, will I find a friend and not a foe as I had expected?  Will I discover that she has been a friend all along, urging me on, forcing me to grow and to change with the times, forcing me to face my fears, not wanting me to be left behind?  Maybe she will prove to have been a friend all along, one I mistakenly judged to be the enemy.

Darkness will do that, shadows will do that – obscure the truth, hide true identities, make the way through the valley harder to find.  But there will come a day when even the valleys will be full of light.  (if there will even be valleys at all)

“Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain.  And the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all mankind together will see it.  For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”  (Isaiah 40:4-5)

The glory of the Lord will fill the earth with light.  No more dark valleys.  No more shadows.  Today I am walking through the valley of the shadow of technology but I will fear no evil, for “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.”  (Psalm 119:105)   I will not lose my way.

I may feel I spend more time in life’s valleys than on life’s mountaintops, but it is in the valley that my Heavenly Father prepares a table for me in the presence of my enemies.  Take that technology!  I am not giving up.  So today this blogcast (I know that is not a real word) is coming to you from a remote location other than my desktop!  a modern day miracle amid the mundane for sure.

“Rejoice in the Lord always.  Again, I say rejoice!”  (Philippians 4:4)

sincerely,                      Grace Day