Why do we fear the dark? The Psalms, while wrought in joy and blessing, are often tinged with fear, fear of rejection, fear of loss, fear of judgement, fear of pain, fear of death... The list goes on, the fact is:
Humans are fearful creatures...
It takes only a single night alone and isolated in a dark woodland to make even the strongest, or bravest man tremble in fright at the smallest sound, so why do we fear? Simply because this world, sin-stained, and sin-torn as it is, there are many things to fear, the list I gave above are among the most prevalent, or perhaps relevant of human fears, things we all fear no matter how much we protest.
Fear is a weight on the heart, it indeed feels in the moment to be a physical phenomena, but it is ultimately a heart issue, as many things are fundamentally. All human fears come with a heavy burden of sorts that must be carried whenever one is exposed to a fearful object or situation. But, in my humble opinion, all fears can be summed up in the human fear of the dark.
Darkness evokes in every man a sense of isolation, a sense that he is alone in the world, and darkness brings with it a host of other fears. The dark is our every perception of what is not right from the albeit sin-twisted image of God that remains stamped upon us as His creations. It is isolation, it is the oppressive feeling of separation and loss.
You may say to me then: "But I do not fear the dark!"
Well my friend, have you ever felt the pain of being alone? The horror of being isolated, or separated from those you love? Have you ever felt the cold touch of Death, or the fiery grasp of Pain? These things the darkness of this world amplifies, and at our deepest cores, our very souls know why...
We were made to be creatures of the light.... We were not made to be in isolation, or separated from love... Indeed, I wish to quickly state that darkness in and of itself isn't bad (God created it, as well as light) but our perception of it is the culmination of everything we fear.
God created us to be constantly within the light of His Divinity, and all of His Attributes that come along with it. So what happened? Why is this world so filled with dark horrors and shadowy fears?
Genesis 3 tells us plainly, we were ejected from the source of all light and love when we sinned against Him in the garden of Eden, darkness became our constant companion and yet our greatest fear, for now, for the first time, humanity felt what it was to be separated from God.
We had been cast from His presence, doomed to an eternity without Him, and under His righteous wrath for our rebellion. So now we walk in darkness, hopeless and fearful of every shadow, every phantom...
But for one thing...
Is that not always the way a good story works? Darkness reigns for a time, and then from nowhere it seems, a great light shines to put the darkness back in its place?
Isaiah 9:2 (cited in Matthew 4:16) - "The people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light, and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death, on them a great light has dawned."
And indeed again in John 1:5 "The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it."
So to those who fear the darkness, hear these words. For those still dwelling in the darkness of sin and death, let this bring light to your soul:
The words of Jesus Christ, John 8:12 "Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, 'I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.'"
The Scripture has myriads of other examples, in Ephesians, and 1 and 2 Corinthians, and also Colossians and some many other places, the truth is this:
We have been rescued out of the kingdom of darkness and brought into His marvelous light! Jesus Christ came down into our dark world, endured the darkness of loneliness, rejection, pain and in the end died, succumbing for three days to the darkness of death, and then rising again in glorious dawn!
Is it any wonder the dawn brings with it relief? For the advent of light reminds us that we no longer must go on walking in darkness and fear, but now, because of the blood of Jesus can walk freely in the light, fearing nothing and no one but God Himself, who is worthy of all honor and glory and praise. Amen!
So when the darkness weighs you down, when fear encroaches, remember Jesus, who endured every darkness to bring the Light, He, Himself is that light, and you will never again have to fear.
Listen to this Christian, from the Psalms, Psalm 27:1 "The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?"
There is no fear that you can have that has not been utterly de-fanged, or de-clawed by Jesus Christ! Loneliness? He gave us the church, a constant community of brothers and sisters bound together by His blood.
Pain? We must fight through pain to become more like Him, and we are promised great reward for faithfulness and perseverance, and indeed even promised ultimate relief from all pain in heaven with Him!
Loss? "He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all, how will He not with Him graciously give us all things?" (Romans 8:32)
Death? 1 Corinthians 15:54-55 "...it is written: 'Death is swallowed up in victory. O death where is your victory? O death where is your sting?'"
Our fears are often rational and good, fear keeps us from what may harm us. Fear of God keeps us from sin, which is the most harmful thing for our soul, for it separates us from Him, but often we have other fears, my "Fear of the Dark" scenarios, and all of these and more are swallowed up in the majesty of what Jesus Christ has done to rescue us from the dark, and you know what Christian?
As dark as the days get from here on out, and make no mistake, they will be dark and horrible, terrifying and evil, but the darkness has already been defeated by the Savior. His death on that cross drove the nail through the heart of sin. His blood poured out choked the life from the devil, and even old Death is merely an usher into eternity now, for all of his power is taken away, to be used only at the end...
The Darkness will never again overcome the Light. That is why I write fantasy my friends... To explain that awesome truth through more subtle means, for Good has won, Evil is dead.
Praise be to the Almighty King of Light, to Jesus Christ ascribe all glory, honor, and dominion forever and ever, Amen!
Basking in the Light of my Glorious Savior,
--The Scribe
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