Creating a Habitation for God's Glory by Todd Smith

Author:Todd Smith
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780768454093
Publisher: Destiny Image, Inc.

Part Four

USEFUL AND USED BY GOD

19

I’M AFRAID OF THE DARK

“The greater the anointing; then greater the isolation.”

—PAT SCHATZLINE

I love the story of the little boy who was petrified of the dark.

One evening his mother asked him to go out to the back porch and bring her the broom. The little boy said, “Mama, please don’t make me go out there. It’s dark and you know I’m scared of the dark.”

His mother smiled at him and said reassuringly, “There’s no need to be afraid of the dark. Jesus is out there and He’ll look after you and protect you.”

The little boy seemed unsure and said, “Are you sure Jesus is out there?”

The mother said, “Yes, I’m sure. Jesus is everywhere and is always there and ready to help when you’re in need.”

The boy thought for a moment, then he went to the back door and opened it a tiny bit. He looked out into the darkness and called out, “Jesus, if you’re out there, please hand me the broom.”

Why are we afraid of the dark? Is it because we can’t see our surroundings? Do we feel vulnerable and unprotected? Have you noticed your heart rate increases and your pace quickens when walking through a dark place? Our instinct is to avoid the dark and seek the light. We don’t want any part of the dark, and we go to great lengths to eliminate it. Why? Perhaps it’s because we don’t know what lurks in the shadows.

In 1890, the United States had approximately 175,000 electric streetlights to help keep our neighborhoods safe. Today, there are more than 26 million streetlights helping us make our way through the dark after the sun sets.

Clearly, one of the greatest inventions in the history of the world, especially for a child, was the nightlight. It’s amazing that a little 2-watt lightbulb can instantly neutralize all perceived monsters hiding in the closet and underneath the bed.

Seriously, growing up we kids believed all kinds of spooky things existed in the dark. My mother and all the neighborhood moms must have thought so as well. I recall as if it were yesterday, as I would leave the house to go play outside my mom would always say, “Come home before dark.”

Like most kids in the world we would play until the last morsel of light faded behind the trees. We tried to squeeze from the day as much playtime as possible. And on cue, right before dusk we heard mom after mom calling out children’s names to come home. My mom and the others didn’t want anything tragic to happen to us, so they demanded us to come inside.

Even though we have strong inhibitions about the dark, I have since learned that darkness is from God too. He created it.

For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him (Colossians 1:16).

In the beginning darkness was present before creation and has remained since creation.

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