Shadows of the 4th Dimension

Do you ever feel like this world does not make sense? Do you ever have the sense that what we refer to as reality isn’t very real? Do you have a haunting feeling that things are not really as they seem? Do you suspect that there are forces outside of your perception that are actively manipulating your world? Do you suffer from chronic déjà vu, recurring dreams, and the occasional partial song lyric that gets stuck on repeat in your head and you cannot for the life of you figure out what song it is or what lyric comes next?

 If you answered “no” to all the previous questions, then move along. This isn’t for you. You are better off not thinking about such things. Ignorance is bliss, so by all means, remain blissfully ignorant. I am not trying to ruin this world for you.

 If you answered “yes” to the previous questions, then welcome to the shadows of the 4th dimension. Allow me to rephrase that…welcome to the awareness of the shadows of the 4th dimension.

 Our entire lives are spent in the shadows, but the awareness is typically lost or ignored. We understand the nature of shadows…a three-dimensional object casts a two-dimensional shadow. While a shadow can be perceived, we do not give it much thought beyond understanding that there is an object that is more “real” than the shadow it produces. If we are alone in a dark alley and see the shadow of a man holding a knife on a nearby wall, we do not fear the shadow…we fear what is casting the shadow. In the same way, if we are thirsty and a glass of water is casting a shadow onto a table, we do not reach for the shadow in hopes of quenching our thirst. What if the things we perceive in this world are merely shadows of another dimension?

 This thought is much more than just some silly sci-fi notion or plot structure. Although, I will concede that “Shadows of the 4th Dimension” would be a great title for a sci-fi series…think “The Twilight Zone” meets “The Matrix” meets “The Chosen.” For over 2,000 years Christians have preached that this world is not our ultimate reality.

 “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” (James 4:17 NIV)

 “They serve at a sanctuary that is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven.” (Hebrews 8:5 NIV)

 “These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.” (Colossians 2:17 NIV)

 “All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth.” (Hebrews 11:13 NIV)

“So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:18 NIV)

 Our three-dimensional world is not our ultimate reality. We are created in the image of God. God is eternal. He transcends time and space. We are created for eternity with Him in Heaven. This world that we stumble around in is not where we belong. It doesn’t make sense because we are created for more than this. This dimension is nothing more than shadows of the 4th dimension.

 There is nothing tangible in this world that we can take with us into eternity. Do not live for the shadows. Do not hold onto the shadows. Do not look to the shadows for hope, security, meaning, purpose, and identity. Do not fear the shadows. See the shadows for what they are…evidence that there is more…evidence that you are created for more…evidence of what remains unseen.