The other day I was listening to a southern Gospel show, and I heard a comment that really grabbed my attention.
“We must never forget in the dark, what we know as truth in the light”.
As I listened to this, I was moved to remember the many times,
I have been alone at night.
Not feeling comfortable or safe. Every creak and noise magnified by the very reality that, ‘I was alone’. Every time the dog barked, it meant someone was outside. Every shadow or perceived shadow, a bad one. Someone could be lurking out there, waiting to come in.
What I know as truth, in the light of the day is this.
God is safe. God is here always. God protects.
God sends His Angels to guard and protect. God will never leave me ‘abandoned’.
He rescues me. He is greater than the darkness. His power is more powerful.
All I have to do is speak “I need you”, and his presence is near.
(Even though He is near always, my voice, activates my faith)
Gods Word is true always.
If I let fear come near and the unknown rule over me.
Then I have allowed the light to become blurred, by the darkness.
At night when I am alone, and my husband is gone. I do not have to fear the shadows at the window. I do not have to fear, or allow my imagination to startle me, with pretend images.
I can trust. I can know what is true. I can make a choice to believe. The angels will surround me with protection and peace.
The doors are locked.
I am safe from the outside.
When our son was little, maybe 4 or 5 we were all sleeping, and he came running into our room. As a rule the children weren’t supposed to be in our room, but this night we could see and experience his ‘night terror’.
“Dad, something is in my room, and it is breathing in and out, and it is scary,” he said in a child like whisper, looking very frightened and scared.
As a mom and dad who were just sound asleep down the hall from their children.
This was NOT something you want to hear from your child. Especially from one who is visibly terrified.
The story continues; “Dad it is over my bed, and it is big and moving, It woke me up and I’m scared”, the trembling voice of our son looking for reassurance and safety.
The picture is in my mind as I remember the scene. The young dad and son, facing our sons fear together hand in hand, as they walked down the hall to his room.
They entered the door way and turned on the light.
Holding their breaths, expecting to find, some evil thing startled standing in the room.
I waited with anticipation and fears of my own.
I heard down the hall, giggling, and laughing.
The evil monster turned out to be a hat, hanging at the end of the bed post.
The air from the heat vent, made it move in and out, appearing way more scary than it really was.
What was scary in the dark, now became exposed in the light.
The power of the moment ended with a huge sigh of relief, a little boys laugh and a very funny memory for us all.
The rest of the night was calm.
Our son went back to sleep, knowing the bad monster was no longer a threat. We settled back to bed, with a mommy and daddy sigh of relief, that our crisis was over.
When we face times of uncertainty and fear. When the ‘shadows’ overwhelm us.
We can claim victory over the dark places.
Psalm 18:28 “you light a lamp for me. The Lord, my God, lights up my darkness.”
John 1:5 “The light shined in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it”
Psalm 27: “The Lord is my light and my salvation–why should I be afraid?
The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger, why should I tremble?”
Our son is now a daddy with two sons of his own.
He will someday need to walk down the hall with them, hand in hand ready to face, the evil monster.
When they do, I pray he will remember what is fearful in the night, might not be anything when the light is near.
The light is brighter than the darkness.
I hope this brings encouragement to you.
Psalm 56:13 “For you have rescued me from death; you have kept my feet from slipping. So now I can walk in your presence, O God, In your life-giving light.” God’s life giving light.
